Deontae Lawson has made his plans clear for the upcoming 2024 college football season.
In a conversation with the Crimson Tide Sports Network, the Alabama linebacker revealed his intention to “go and declare” for the 2025 NFL draft.
“But stuff happens,” Lawson acknowledged. “You never really know why.”
Lawson’s season was cut short after a lower-body injury against Oklahoma on November 23, which required surgery just three days later. As a result, he missed Alabama’s victory over Auburn and its defeat to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
On January 4, Lawson announced his decision to return to Alabama for his fifth season in 2025.
“I put all my faith in the good Lord above,” Lawson explained. “It was best to take a step back and not go based on how you feel but what your intuition is telling you, if that makes sense. I had some deep talks with a lot of people. My family, my family played a huge role in this decision. Overall, I just, I don’t feel accomplished here yet. I don’t really feel like I got things to prove, but I just don’t feel like my story is complete here.”
Lawson is part of a group of returning defensive standouts, including defensive linemen LT Overton, Tim Keenan III, and Jah-Marien Latham, linebacker Justin Jefferson, safety Keon Sabb, and cornerback Domani Jackson.
In his four seasons at Alabama, Lawson has accumulated 194 tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss, five sacks, and 12 pass deflections.
As a senior leader on the Crimson Tide defense heading into 2025, Lawson has high expectations for himself.
“I promise you I’m going to do everything,” he said. “I promise this to the fans to do everything in my power to get this program back because last year was not the year we wanted. We got way bigger expectations for ourselves than that. That kind of stuck with me. That’s one of my main reasons, but the main reason was just trusting the good Lord and knowing He’s not finished with my story here.”
Alabama’s 2025 season kicks off on August 30 with a road game against Florida State.
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Ty Simpson on Alabama QB Austin Mack: “He’s going to be a very good player”
Austin Mack means more to Ty Simpson than just a teammate in Alabama’s quarterback room. With the 2025 spring practice approaching, Simpson shared that he and Mack have become close since their time together in Tuscaloosa.
“Austin’s one of my best friends on the team,” Simpson told the Tuscaloosa News.
Simpson mentioned that he served as Mack’s recruiting host when the former Washington quarterback was in the transfer portal last year. Mack eventually followed Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama as his first transfer.
Since then, Simpson said the two have been exchanging ideas.
“Just, how does he see this? And how do I see that?” Simpson said. “And how did Michael Penix see it, because he was in the same room as him.”
Although Mack had limited playing time in his first season with Alabama, he appeared for five snaps in the Crimson Tide’s 52-7 victory over Mercer on Nov. 16. He completed two out of three pass attempts for 39 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown to Rico Scott Jr.
Mack was ranked the No. 230 overall player and the No. 16 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
The 6-foot-6, 236-pound Loomis, California native graduated early after accumulating 3,498 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and five interceptions during his 2022 season at Folsom High School.
Mack and Simpson will soon be joined by 2025 five-star quarterback Keelon Russell.
Despite Mack’s limited action last season, Simpson believes the incoming third-year quarterback has significant potential.
“Austin is very smart,” Simpson said. “He’s going to be a very good player, and I’m super excited to see his growth as well.”
