The Philadelphia Eagles may have found a defensive gem outside of the NFL draft.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport singled out rookie linebacker Deontae Lawson as the NFL’s “Most Exciting” undrafted free agent, continuing the accolades heaped on the 6-foot-3, 226-pound former Alabama star following the disappointment of not hearing his name called in the draft.
“Despite being a two-time captain and second-team All-SEC performer at Alabama, a fairly lengthy injury history caused linebacker Deontae Lawson to go undrafted this year,” Davenport wrote on May 25. ” … The Eagles are set where the starters at inside linebacker are concerned with veteran Zack Baun and youngster Jihaad Campbell. But the team’s depth at the position could use a boost, and a healthy Lawson has the experience and athleticism to at the very least carve out a reserve and special teams role in Philly.”
Deontae Lawson Predicted as Day 3 Pick
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein predicted Lawson as a 6th- or 7th-round pick on Day 3.
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.”
Eagles Invested Heavily at Off-Ball Linebacker
After earning NFL All-Pro honors and helping lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl win following the 2024 season, linebacker Zack Baun was rewarded with a 3-year, $51 million contract — making him 1 of the highest-paid players at his position in the NFL.
The Eagles doubled down in the 2025 NFL draft by selecting another Alabama linebacker, Jihaad Campbell, in the 1st round, only to see him struggle to keep his starting spot once veteran Nakobe Dean returned from a torn patellar tendon.
By the end of the season, Campbell was relegated to the sideline and was only on the field for 1 defensive play in a 23-19 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Round.
Now, in 2026, that position is Campbell’s to lose after Dean left for a 3-year, $36 million free-agent contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Eagles’ 6-foot-3, 226-Pound LB Called NFL’s ‘Most Exciting’ UDFA