Deontae Lawson injury update: Kane Wommack reveals latest on Alabama LB’s recovery

Nine months removed from suffering a devastating season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma, Deontae Lawson is back and better than ever while leading the Alabama defense through Fall camp as if nothing had happened. And second-year Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kane Wommack couldn’t be more impressed by his fifth-year senior middle linebacker.

“He’s actually doing a great job. You know, Deontae is, it’s amazing. I thought he carried himself with such a professional level a year ago, his leadership was so impressive, and somehow he’s taken his game and leadership to another level,” Wommack told reporters Wednesday’s preseason practice, via BamaOnline. “Which is really impressive coming off not only battling the recovery process that he’s kind of stayed ahead of every marker that we had for him. But to be able to come out in Fall camp, and we thought maybe we’d limit some of his loads, and we’ve really pushed him and he’s handled it really well.”

Wommack’s assessment follows a similar tone to how second-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer described Lawson’s progress at the start of preseason camp.

“His trajectory is going up. Deontae, his leadership is the thing that’s really come out. So that’s exciting,” DeBoer said July 30 following the first day of preseason camp. “He’s going to be limited, just the number of reps, the volume I guess is the best way to put it, and what he can take as expected. And that was going to be the plan just with his timeline from the beginning.

“But it was great just having him out there. I think he feels really good about being out there. Mentally and physically, I think he’s in a really good spot. But there’s still progress to be made as we build toward the first game.”

Despite only playing 11 games last season, Lawson ranked second on Alabama’s roster with 76 total tackles, including 6 1/2 for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble in 2024. He had similar production in 2023 when he ranked second on the team with 67 total tackles, 5 1/2 for loss, with three sacks, four quarterback hurries, and four pass breakups.

Todd McShay breaks down Deontae Lawson as NFL prospect

After bypassing the 2025 NFL Draft to return to Tuscaloosa, Lawson is projected to be one of the top linebackers selected in next spring’s 2026 NFL Draft class according to longtime draft expert Todd McShay at The Ringer.

In a recent episode of The McShay Show, McShay previewed several of the best defensive prospects at play in the 2026 NFL Draft, including at linebacker with Lawson comparing favorably to likely top-rated inside linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. of Texas.

“(Lawson is) a fourth-year player coming up in this season, okay. Played mostly special teams in 11 games in 2022. Took over the starting MIKE job, the middle linebacker job in 2023,” McShay said. “Missed three games that year – this is not a good pattern – due to injury, and two this past year suffering the torn ACL. … (Still), he’s got 20 starts the past two seasons, and he’s been productive, man –143 tackles, 12 for loss, five sacks, eight pass breakups, and one forced fumble.”

— On3’s Sam Gillenwater contributed to this report.