“Lawson was the 101st-ranked prospect on the B/R board and a player who, by most accounts, should have heard his name called somewhere in the middle of draft weekend,” Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote. “At 6’2″ and 228 pounds, Lawson is a bit undersized, but his athleticism and coverage ability could earn him an early rotational role on defense and special teams. This past season, he recorded 89 combined tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and four passes defended.”

Deontae Lawson Predicted as 6th-7th Round Pick

NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein predicted Lawson as a 6th- or 7th-round pick.

Lawson was a 3-year starter for the Crimson Tide and a 2-time All-SEC pick. He was also a 2-time team captain.

“Lawson is twitchy and covers ground quickly when scraping to the football or knifing inside to disrupt as a run blitzer,” Zierlein wrote. “His quick flow and pursuit is countered by a lack of play recognition/patience that can place him in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s much better at slipping blocks than he is at taking them on. He has the reactive agility to become an above-average open-field finisher, but his wrap-and-drive fundamentals run hot and cold. Lawson’s athleticism shows up in man coverage and when expanding his zone influence. He projects as a run-and-chase Will linebacker with three-down potential but a limited ceiling.”