The excitement about Illinois signing quarterback Dwayne Lawson will have to wait.

Lawson will not sign on Wednesday’s national signing day as he works on academic issues, according to his junior college coach.

“He is going to Illinois but we are waiting to finalize some grades,” Garden City (Kan.) Community College coach Jeff Sims said via text message. He said Lawson will sign by the summer if his “grades fall in place.”

While he's not the highest-rated player in Illinois' Class of 2017, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Lawson was expected to be the star of national signing day for the Illini.

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He had previously played at Virginia Tech, but his time there was short-lived after he fell off the depth chart. Reports noted he would have faced suspension due to two failed drug tests. Lawson said that one failed test was for Adderall and another was for missing a testing date.

Coming out of Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla., he was a consensus four-star recruit who fielded offers from Michigan State, Ohio State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Miami. He was the No. 14 pro-style quarterback in the country in the 247Sports.com composite rankings, while Scout.com ranked him 29th among all quarterbacks — one spot ahead of Louisville's Lamar Jackson, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner.

National signing day: Notre Dame, Northwestern, Illinois, NIU on the board Chicago Tribune staff

National signing day is underway. Keep it here for updates from Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Northern Illinois.

Notre Dame

Linebacker David Adams and safety Jordan Genmark Heath are the 17th and 18th players to sign with Notre Dame, including five early enrollees. The Irish are in the...

National signing day is underway. Keep it here for updates from Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Northern Illinois.

Notre Dame

Linebacker David Adams and safety Jordan Genmark Heath are the 17th and 18th players to sign with Notre Dame, including five early enrollees. The Irish are in the...

(Chicago Tribune staff)

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