Alabama Football will have its A-Day game this weekend, meaning kickoff is just four days away. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Deontae Lawson will not participate, as he is out for the spring with an injury. However, he should be one of the best players on the roster by the time fall rolls around.
Deontae Lawson joined the Crimson Tide as a highly recruited 4-star linebacker in the class of 2021. The Mobile product was ranked as the second-best player in the state in that 2021 cycle. Lawson redshirted during his first year on campus, but began to live up to the hype as a redshirt freshman in 2022.
He saw significant playing time last season, earning four starts amongst experienced veterans like seniors Henry To’o To’o and Jaylen Moody. Lawson flashed his athleticism, often looking like the most promising member of this inside linebacker trio. He finished his redshirt freshman season with 51 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and four pass breakups, regularly exhibiting his impressive sideline-to-sideline range.
Deontae Lawson’s trajectory really seemed to skyrocket as his snaps went up towards the latter part of last season, and he looks to carry that momentum into his draft-eligible 2023 campaign. His injury is not expected to impact his season, and all indications point towards Lawson blossoming into a star as a redshirt sophomore.
If anything, Lawson’s absence this spring will only help younger contributors like Jihaad Campbell and Shawn Murphy, while also providing more reps for guys like transfer Trezmen Marshall, JUCO transfer Justin Jefferson, and junior Kendrick Blackshire, who is returning from an injury of his own. The inside linebacker room should not lack quality depth this fall.
As Deontae Lawson continues to rehab and prepare his body for the 2023 season, Alabama Football fans should not be overly concerned about the inside linebacker group. Lawson figures to be one of the nation’s best at the position.