Dalvin Tomlinson was an underrated part of Alabama’s defense this past season. He doesn’t have the name recognition of players such as Jonathan Allen, Marlon Humphrey or Reuben Foster, but he was a key part of Alabama’s success.
Here’s what head coach Nick Saban had to say about Tomlinson back in 2014.
If everybody on our team was like Dalvin, we wouldn’t have many problems, I can tell you that.
That’s a lot of praise from one of the greatest college football coaches of all-time. Tomlinson is clearly a high character guy who quickly earns the respect of coaches and teammates alike.
Here is a scouting report on the former Alabama defensive lineman.
Position: Defensive Tackle
Hometown: McDonaugh, Georgia
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 312-pounds
Projected 40-time: 5.1-5.2
Projected Round: 4th Round
STRENGTHS:
Tomlinson is your typical Alabama defensive lineman. He’s a powerful anchor player who plays the run extremely well. His lower body strength makes him extremely hard to move in the run game, and he has powerful hands with a vicious punch.
The former 4-star defensive lineman from McDonaugh, Ga. does an excellent job holding the point of attack against double teams, but he also shows solid movement skills working his way through stunts and twists. Like previously mentioned, he shows the ability to shock and shed with authority. He can control offensive linemen due to his long arms (33-inches) and solid base.
Alabama’s defense requires the linemen to two-gap, and that is something that Tomlinson can do at an above-average level. He has a non-stop motor that allows him to make plays that some defensive linemen wouldn’t make just due to pure hustle.
Here is Dalvin Tomlinson (#54) doing an excellent job two-gapping:
As you can see, Tomlinson does an excellent job gaining leverage. He controls the offensive lineman and sheds at the last second to tackle Clemson QB Deshaun Watson for a loss.
Tomlinson’s strongest trait as a pass-rusher is a bull rush that, at times, allows him to put pressure on the quarterback. He does a good job getting his hands into the opposing quarterbacks throwing lanes, and that additional disruptive ability will only add to his draft stock.
WEAKNESSES:
While Tomlinson is a very effective player against the run, he is almost as equally ineffective versus the pass. He isn’t explosive off the snap, and he’s limited as an athlete.
Like previously mentioned, his most effective trait as a pass-rusher is his bull rush, but that doesn’t mean he is necessarily good at it. He struggles at times keeping his feet moving and driving the offensive linemen backwards. This causes him to almost become non-existent as a threat against the pass.
Another potential issue with Tomlinson is his injury history. He has suffered two serious knee injuries during his career. The first was an ACL tear to his right knee that he suffered playing soccer his senior year — forcing him to take a medical redshirt in 2012. The second was an ACL tear to his left knee that he suffered in practice back in 2013 after only one game.
Since the second recovery, Tomlinson has shown little to no signs of those injuries still being an issue, but it’s definitely something NFL teams will check into when evaluating Tomlinson.
CONCLUSION:
Tomlinson’s versatility will make him a valuable player to teams who feature a hybrid front — such as the Baltimore Ravens or New England Patriots. He can play as a run-stopping 4-3 defensive tackle, or he can slide a little further outside as a 5-technique (defensive end) in a 3-4 defense.
You won’t find too many people who think that Tomlinson won’t succeed on the next level. It’s a matter of where he will make an impact.
A lot like former Alabama defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed, Tomlinson is limited as a pass-rusher which could hurt his stock come draft day. Still, he will be a contributing member of a defense on early downs maybe even as soon as his rookie year.
