The Denver Broncos didn’t make a big splash in free agency at inside linebacker like many fans across Broncos Country had hoped for. They brought back both Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, but parted ways with Dre Greenlaw after just one season. The Broncos have a handful of intriguing developmental options from the past several UDFA cycles, but should certainly have their eye on upgrading the room long-term in the 2026 NFL Draft.
A prospect who might pique their interest is fifth-year Alabama Crimson
Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson. A three-year starter, Lawson excels moving downhill and is a good fit as a ‘pressure player’ in Vance Joseph’s defensive scheme. He also sports pretty good coverage skills and offers special teams upside but has a few big issues that may cause him to slip down draft boards.
This year’s class at linebacker may be one of the best in recent memory, and Lawson has the potential to be a three-down player at the next level. Let’s do a deep dive regarding his strengths and weaknesses, and why and when the Broncos should consider selection him in this year’s draft.
Player Profile: Deontae Lawson — Linebacker — Alabama
Height: 6’3” | Weight: 226 pounds | Arm Length: 31-7/8” | Hand Size: 9-1/4” | Age: 23 Years Old
No athletic testing at NFL Combine or Alabama’s Pro Day.
Statistics: 52 games played with 38 starts. 283 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 16 passes defended, 3 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles.
Film Room & Highlights
Hart’s Scouting Report
Positives:
- Unique height and length for the position with the frame to add on more weight
- Three-year starter from a top-tier program with over 2,400 collegiate defensive snaps
- Two-time team captain known for his high energy on the field and being a vocal leader (green dot communicator) for the Crimson Tide’s defense
- Good downhill defender who isn’t afraid to take on opposing blockers with force and generally does a good job shedding and moving through traffic
- 20-percent of all blitzes in college resulted in quarterback pressures and a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage
- Above-average in man coverage and does well in zone assignments—allowed just 52-percent of targets (34-of-66) to be completed in his five seasons of play
- Boasts special teams’ capability playing over 350 snaps on multiple units
Negatives:
- No athletic testing is a cause for concern, and he backed out of the Senior Bowl—I’m not sure exactly why he didn’t choose to compete, but that’s a bit of a red flag for me
- Can be slow to diagnose and react, especially against run schemes that deploy pulling and movement with their lineman
- Wouldn’t call him a sideline-to-sideline player, but makes up for average athleticism with good angles to the ball
- 14-percent career missed tackle rate and certainly needs to do a better job of wrapping up and finishing
- Missed three games in 2023 with an ankle injury and had a late-season ACL tear in 2024
Hart’s Projection: Top 125 Selection — Fourth Round Value
Why the Denver Broncos should consider drafting Lawson
Count me in as someone who still believes the Broncos should address the inside linebacker room somewhere in the draft. Head Coach Sean Payton stated Jonah Elliss would be seeing ‘some’ snaps at the position next season. However, if it ends up being a full-on position switch, I could see the draft need radar going down a notch or two for the franchise. Nevertheless, they could use some depth at the position a prospect that has starting upside.
Lawson is a good prospect, but I don’t think he is an early round player. Though there are some well-respected analysts who see him as a Top 75 prospect. His injury history, missed tackles, and other issues mentioned drop him about a round or so for me value wise. I don’t think he is a Day 1 starter, but he certainly has the traits and ability to eventually become one.
I’m a bit perplexed as to why he didn’t participate in the athletic testing during the pre-draft process and opted to back out of the Senior Bowl. That seems to go against his fiery and competitive nature on tape and how his teammates and coaches spoke of him. It’s an out-of-character moment, but in a stacked linebacker class, why not go out there and compete against your peers?
Even so, his positives—especially when it comes to calling a defense—and ample experience are things NFL teams will be high on. Alabama has produced a lot of standout linebackers throughout the years, and Lawson has a chance to be next if he can clean up on some of his deficiencies.
Pending on how the board falls, I’d be fine with Lawson as a fit for Denver in the fourth round. That timeframe would present good value for him. The Broncos’ coaching staff has a lot of connections to the Crimson Tide program, and I have doubt they’ve done a lot of background work on him.
