Deontae Lawson Provides Health Status Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Deontae Lawson's November 2024 torn ACL didn't just end a promising season. It reshaped his NFL future.

Once projected as a first-round pick, the injury ended Lawson's redshirt junior season and ensured that he would come back for 2025. After rehabbing all offseason, Lawson wasn’t fully himself early in the year while readjusting to his role wearing the green dot.

Lawson showed visible improvement down the stretch, beginning to look like his old self by the back half of the season. As he now prepares for the NFL Draft, Lawson says he is the healthiest he has been in a long time.

"I feel like I've had plenty of time, and I have great guys at Proactive in California to get my body right the first couple of weeks and then get me back on the field," Lawson said. "So I feel great. I haven't felt like this in a while."

Lawson is currently projected as a late Day 2 to early Day 3 pick. Ranked as the No. 10 inside linebacker in the class by ESPN, the Mobile native has met with numerous teams over the past month.

"It's just like a background check at the beginning," Lawson said of his meetings. "Then maybe they'll install a play and have you coach it back to them, or show some of your film. They just try to coach you up and show you how they'll use you in their scheme or what techniques they'll teach you."

After overcoming the injury that nearly derailed his career, Lawson will now likely end up in a position to compete for snaps as a rookie, something he attributes to the standard of the program that was set by Nick Saban.

"He ran this place like a pro organization," Lawson said. "Watching guys in front of me, elite guys that did the right thing going on and off the field, that was the start of being a pro, like going to class and going to tutoring while also doing what you need to do on the field. So I feel like this place does a fantastic job of setting their guys up for the next level."

Lawson leaves Alabama ranked No. 10 in program history with 283 tackles. Now, the former captain is ready for his next chapter and is already anticipating the feeling of hearing his name called in April.

"How can you not think about it?" Lawson said. "I know it will be a crazy moment. I'm not sure what my emotions will be, but I know it'll be all over the place."

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