Deontae Lawson reflects on time at Alabama in ‘goodbye’ message ahead of NFL Draft
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
After five seasons at Alabama, Deontae Lawson’s time with the program has come to an end. His next priority is getting ready for the 2026 NFL Draft.
On Saturday afternoon, Lawson took to Instagram to post a farewell message to Tide fans, thanking God, his family, and the Crimson Tide coaching staff, including Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer, for their support and guidance over the past five years.
“These last few years at Alabama have been a big part of my journey, and I am so grateful for all of it,” I’ve learned from some of the best teammates and coaches while also working with the best medical staff a player could ask for. Most importantly, I’ve gotten two degrees that will stay with me the rest of my life.”
Lawson was poised to declare for the NFL Draft after the 2024 season. But an ACL tear against Oklahoma put those plans on hold and saw him decide to return to Alabama for one last season.
That decision paid off as Lawson battled back from injury to put together his best statistical season. His 89 total tackles led the team, while he added 4.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for a loss. He was named second-team All-SEC after the season.
He’ll now hope to hear his name called early during the draft in April.
“As I begin to embark on the next step in my career, I can always reflect on how truly blessed I am,” Lawson said. “This journey will continue and I know the timing will be perfect.”
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
