Deontae Lawson

● Long, lanky athlete with good muscle definition in his arms ● Balanced in his lateral movements to mirror runners to the edge ● Loose mover in space, with flexibility in his hips and ankles to slip blocks ● Fast, shifty take-on hands to keep blockers from engulfing him ● Sees things quickly and consistently stays ahead because of his football awareness ● Uses a wide, springy base to be a solid open-field tackler ● Change-of-direction skills helps expand his range when dropping in coverage ● Two-year team captain and relates well with his teammates (NFL scout: “With no Saban, the new staff really leaned on him to be the alpha of the defense.”) ● Accountable worker and genuinely loves football (played on kick and punt coverages in 2025) ● Finished his career top 10 in school history in tackles

● High-cut frame and lean, especially in his lowers (NFL scout: “His weight was 239 (pounds), 218 and 227 on three different visits.”) ● Doesn’t have high-level speed to sideline ● Finishing strength as a tackler is more average than above average ● Tends to tackle at chest level, giving runners a chance to wiggle free ● Given a lot of freedom as a blitzer but doesn’t have the power in his body/hands to be a force rusher ● Need to see him in more man-cover looks matching backs and tight ends ● Durability has been an issue: torn right ACL (Nov. 2024), which ended his 2024 season and pushed him to return to school in 2025; didn’t miss a game as a senior but wore a boot on left foot for “precautionary reasons” after several games (Oct. 2025); missed three games as a sophomore because of left ankle sprain (Sept. 2023); missed 2023 spring practices following offseason surgery

A starter for three-and-a-half-years at Alabama, Lawson wore the green dot as the “Stinger” linebacker in defensive coordinator Kane Womack’s multiple scheme. He was tabbed as the “next C.J. Mosley” inside the program, but injuries — including an ACL tear suffered late in his junior year — held him back. He returned in 2025 and had his most consistent season, leading the Tide in tackles and becoming just the 16th player in school history to serve as a multiyear team captain. (He also was the first Alabama player to wear the No. 0 jersey). An alert, energetic linebacker, Lawson plays faster than his times because of his smarts and anticipation, which allow him to stay square and work around blockers. Using his lower-body flexibility, he plays with sound leverage in space and tracks the ball carrier with ease, 487 Back to table of contents -- 491 of 629 -- although he isn’t as instinctive carrying routes in coverage. Overall, Lawson might not have elite speed or strength, but NFL teams love him as a football player because he plays fast and fiery and his processing can be a differentiating factor. He has the talent to compete for starting reps, but questions about durability cloud his future.