Every February, the first day of the NFL Scouting Combine is less about highlight plays and more about cold, hard data. It's the moment when production meets measurement and the time when what prospects from various programs around the college football map's tape now gets stacked next to wingspans, hand sizes, and the 40-yard dash times in Indianapolis.Â
For players representing Alabama Football, expectations are never average, no matter what round they're projected to be called in. That standard was built over nearly two decades of dominance, mostly under Nick Saban, where NFL-ready size, discipline, and physicality became synonymous with the script "A" on their helmets.
Even in this new era, that reputation follows every Crimson Tide prospect into Lucas Oil Stadium. That's why Day 1 carries real weight for Alabama's defensive contingent, as they aimed to check the boxes of all 32 NFL franchises in attendance in efforts to prove that they, too, are defenders who can translate their skill sets to Sundays.Â
This intention was evident when seeing Alabama front-seven defenders Tim Keenan III, LT Overton, Deontae Lawson, and Justin Jefferson all step between the lines on Thursday — each understanding that this stage wasn't about hype, but about numbers that either support or shift their draft narratives ahead of this April's draft.
While each player strives to do so, I couldn't help but find myself measuring up each of the Tide's four performances to past NFL prospects who graced the same field and participated through the same set of protocols en route to launching their professional careers. In doing so, I was able to craft four player comps who match up nearly identically to Keenan, Overton, Lawson, and Jefferson below:
NFL comps for Tim Keenan, Justin Jefferson, Deontae Lawson, and LT Overton after Combine Day 1
Tim Keenan III — Defensive Tackle:
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 327-pounds | Arms: 30 1/2" inches Hands: 8 5/8" inches | 40-yard dash: 5.32 seconds official (1 attempt)
Keenan arrived in Indianapolis exactly as advertised: Compact, powerful, and built to anchor the interior. Weighing in officially at 327-pounds, his frame reinforces his identity as a true nose or shade defender at the next level, numerically similar to former New England Patriots DT, Vince Wilfork's 2024 combine performance.
Combine Comp: Vince Wilfork — 2004
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 325-pounds | Arms: 33 inches Hands: 10 3/4 | 40-yard dash: 5.10-5.11 seconds official
For Keenan, Wilfork is the cleanest statistical mirror comparision. I say this because the Alabama DT is slightly shorter, but the mass profile is nearly identical to Wilfork's. This type of player is evaluated more on anchored strength and block occupancy than pure speed.
LT Overton — Edge:
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 274-pounds | Arms: 33 1/4 inches Hands: 10 5/8 | 40-yard dash: 4.91 seconds (1st attempt)/ 4.87 seconds (2nd attempt) official
Overton arguably generated the most buzz of all four Alabama prospects on Thursday. At 274 pounds with 33 1/4-inch arms, he checked the length box that teams covet for edge rushers. That size and time support the hybrid label teams have attached to him at the next level, validating his movement skills that showed up on tape during his two seasons at Alabama, when he showed scheme versatility in the eyes of evaluators. This is why I believe Overton's combine performance matches up numerically well with Buffalo Bills defender Shaq Lawson.
Combine Comp: Shaq Lawson — 2018
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 266-pounds | Arms: 32 7/8 inches Hands: 9 7/8 | 40-yard dash: 4.80 seconds
Overton and Lawson are nearly identical in height and 40-yard dash time. Overton has slightly longer arms and bigger hands, which scouts covet for edge leverage and hand fighting. Lawson holds a slight edge in straight-line testing, though Overton's sub-4.9 time is still solid for a 270-plus-pound edge defender. Overton fits the Lawson-style hybrid edge mold, a power-speed defensive end who isn't elite in twitch testing but offers enough burst to win with leverage, hand usage, and controlled acceleration.
Justin Jefferson — Linebacker:
Height: 6-foot | Weight: 223 pounds | Arms: 31 3/4 inches Hands: 10"| 40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds
Jefferson measured in with a more compact linebacker frame, a build that aligns with today's pursuit-based defensive schemes. His nearly 32-inch arms and strong hand size are positives for a player of his height, similar to Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Lavonte David.
Combine Comp: Lavonte David — 2012
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 233 pounds | Arms: 31 1/4 inches Hands: 9 3/4 inches"| 40-yard dash: 4.65 seconds
Both Jefferson and David are compact, pursuit-style LBs rather than tall stack defenders. Their arm measurements are extremely close, which matters for block shedding and tackling radius. Jefferson is actually slightly faster in raw 40 time, which is notable for his projection. Overall, Jefferson's profile, like David's, should help his game translate well to becoming a modern-oriented linebacker who wins with range, acceleration, and spatial pursuit.
Deontae Lawson — Linebacker:
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 226-pounds | Arms: 31 7/4 inches Hands: 9 1/4 inches"| 40-yard dash: N/A
Lawson's measurables present an intriguing build, at 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds. He offers length and range potential, though he's considered lighter than some traditional stack linebackers at that height. Though Lawson did not test in the 40-yard dash, he still participated in positional field drills, showing quick change of direction and smoothness. This is why I liken his combine performance to Tampa Buccaneers LB Deion Jones.
Deion Jones — 2016:
Lawson, like Jones, operates in a lighter, pursuit-like playing style at LB, rather than a thumper profile. Jones became known for his explosive downhill acceleration and coverage sideline mobility, taits Lawson showed in drills today in Indy. This comp suggests a modern off-ball linebacker who can play in space and chase vertically. Bottom line, Lawson's physical profile projects as a long, lightweight coverage LB with the potential to run sub-4.65 seconds in the 40-yard dash if he chooses to do so at Alabama's Pro Day in March. This puts him in the same mold as Jones as an athletic, space-defending defender rather than today's two-gap run defender.