DAVE TE-DALVIN TOMLINSON DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT

Player School Jersey Year Entered Test
TOMLINSON, Dalvin Alabama #54 2012 25
Height Weight College Position Pro Position
6:03.0 310 DT-NT NG-DT
Bench Press Squat Power Clean Vertical Jump
225x22 460/max 510 345 27”
Broad Jump
9’02”
Grade One Grade Two Time (10) Time (20)
7.08 7.42 1.74 2.85
Time (40)
5.19
Arm Length Hand Width Wingspan 20-yd
33 ½” 10 1/8” 82 3/8”
20-yard shuttle Three-cone
n/a 5.14

2016 Best Games Western Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas A& M, Louisiana State, Mississippi State, Chattanooga, Florida, Clemson
2016 Worst Games Southern California, Kent State, Kentucky
2015 Best Games Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana State, Mississippi State, Charleston Southern
2015 Worst Games Arkansas, Texas A& M, Auburn
2014 Best Games West Virginia, Louisiana State, Mississippi State
2014 Worst Games Florida, Arkansas

Body Structure Tomlinson has a wide frame, with solid muscle tone in his lower body, a good bubble and wide hips. He has broad shoulders, long arms, large hands and demonstres above average weight room strength. While he might be asked to add additional bulk, he has the long arms and big hands needed to easily defeat reach blocks and keep blockers off his feet.


General Report 7.94
Athletic Ability 7.5 Tomlinson plays above his athletic ability, more like an “old school” type of player who gets maximum performance out of what he has. He shows good feet, quick change of direction agility and good body control in space. He plays with a high motor and is quite quick shooting his hands. He possesses great playing strength and good explosiveness. He also shows above average balance on the move. In the short area, he has the burst to close, but with his timed speed he can also play out on the edge, as he is perfectly capable of giving chase in long pursuit. His change of direction and flexibility are better when he stays low in his pads, as he can better gain leverage.

Football Sense 7.9 Tomlinson is a smart player who understands football, recognizes blocking schemes and has no problems retaining plays. He picks things up quickly in practice and has good field instincts. He anticipates the plays well and does a good job flowing to the ball along the line. He is not the type who will not be fooled much by play action and fakes. He is also quite alert to double-teams and uses his hands effectively to destroy the power scoop.

Character 8.5 Tomlinson is looked up to by the younger players. He has been very compliant and mature since entering the program. He is a self-starter and not the type that you need to push constantly in order for him to produce. Talk to anyone on the staff or on campus and they will tell you he’s just a “regular joe.” He is a highly intellictural type, graduating from high school with a 3.9 GPA and is currently scheduled to graduate in May with his second bachelor’s degree at Alabama.

Competitiveness 8.1 Tomlinson gives his best all the time on the field. He proved to be a “tough cookie” by returning to the field after 2012 off-season surgeries that required ACL repair to both knees, getting back on the field before any of the trainers or coaches could have anticipated (original prognosis would be that Tomlinson might not ever return), but he has been an invaluable reserve for two seasons before emerging as a starter in 2016. He is a high motor type, but not one who is reckless to get taken out of the action. He is a good competitor who plays with intensity and adequate playing strength. He has a nasty side and is very tough in the trenches. When he gets in a groove, he simply wears down the blockers with his hand usage and combative nature.

Work Habits 7.7 Tomlinson has come to rely more on his natural strength on the field. He takes that power to generate explosive hits, but while an efficient tackler, he seems to have accepted his role of occupying multiple blockers in order to free up another teammate to make the play. Even when he is knocked down, he is quick to pick himself up and get back in the action.


Athletic Report 7.31
Explosion/Pursuit 7.5 For a player with his thick frame, you would expect Tomlinson to lumber off the snap, but that is not the case, as he can simply explode off the line of scrimmage. He has the burst through the hole to neutralize the inside ground game, but there are times when he loses leverage when he plays too high in his stance. He has good pursuit quickness and lateral agility to make plays on the move, though. He shows proper body control and positioning to collapse the pocket, something he did quite effectively in 2016 (see Western Kentucky, Texas A& M and Louisiana State games). He can gain advantage getting to the gaps and is quick with his feet to get a good push into the blocker, especially when taking on the center and shaded guard when they try to chop block him, as he uses his hands like weapons when protecting his legs. When working down the line, he shows above average movement skills.

Strength at Point 8.0 Tomlinson shows good hand usage vs. tight ends and lead blockers. With his weight room strength and hand punch, he has become a highly proficient “stuff-& -separate” type vs. the multiple blockers he constantly faces. What he does best is adjust to movement and react well with counter moves. The thing you notice on film is that when he stays down in his pads, he can use his weight room strength better to gain leverage. He has excellent brute strength needed to neutralize (does this better than most “0-tech” types in one-on-one situations and is very combative vs. double teams). He can generate a strong anchor to maintain position at the point of attack when he does not bounce up in his stance. He is hard to block coming off the ball and even if the blocker gets into his body, Tomlinson is not the type the offensive guards can hold for long. He knows how to get underneath to get a piece of the blocker’s pads and is effective stacking and controling in one-on-one situations.

Use of Hands 7.7 Tomlinson has very quick hands and the functional strength to deliver a punishing jolt. He could be even better if he can sink his pads and get leverage (past knee issues that causes him to get a bit too rigid in his stance, which can be seen with inconsistency keeping his inside foot staggered stance with a foot-to-crotch alignment). He shows good production getting into the blocker’s body, using his hands like weapons to defeat the low blocks (works hard to prevent from getting knocked down vs. the chop block). He shows quick hand technique and an effective arm cross over move in pass rush attempts. He also generates good punch to control and disengage.
Lateral Pursuit/Effort 7.1 Tomlinson has the lateral quickness and sustained speed to slip through the pile and apply pressure. He has good change of direction agility and can get in gear when working in space. He is best working along the line of scrimmage, where he can make plays in short pursuit. With his high motor, he shows good intent to flow to the ball.

Tackling Ability 7.0 Tomlinson is a hard drag-down tackler, but when he takes a side, the bigger ball carriers in the NFL could have success bouncing off his hits. He gets into this rhythm where he feels he needs to take on multiple blockers and allow teammates to make the play, which is typical for “0-tech” types, but if he is to play the one- or three-tech slots, he will have to be conscious of not getting too tall in his stance, as this makes him a candidate to be wiped out by low cut blockers. He has more than enough strength to lock up and make the wrap-up tackles. When he attacks a ball carrier, he makes a conscious effort to take out the opponent’s outside leg. When he stays low in his pads, he extends his arms and is very effective to wrap up. He also shows urgency getting to the ball in the short area.

Run Defense 7.9 Tomlinson shows good hand usage to shed blocks in one-on-one battles. When he sinks his pads, he does well holding at the point of attack, but would be much better if he did not get so high and expose his chest. He is a strong inside run defender who can make plays up and down the line of scrimmage,and for a “big man,” he has the long speed to chase in space. He is often matched against double teams and when this happens, he gets very combative and it is rare to see him struggle to hold ground at the point of attack. When he does stay down low enough or use his hands to protect his legs, he demonstrates excellent hand-shed ability. When he gets tall in his stance, he will get locked up and stall out. When working one-on-one, he will flash the ability to stack.

Pass Rush 6.3 Tomlinson is more of a bull rusher than one that can take the edge and give long chase. He is effective when trying to press through a combo pass block, but has to be alert to low shots at his legs. He does a nice job of getting his hands up in attempts to deflect low throws and can simply destroy fullbacks that are the last line of pocket protection (see 2016 Texas A& M, LSU, Chattanooga and Clemson games). He has a a quick initial step to get advantage and shows effective swim-& -rip ability. He might become more of a move-oriented type at the next level, depending on which position he will settle into. At ‘Bama, his versatility allowed him to fill in at all the line positions. He is not the type that has to be parked at the line to wait for action to come to him. It is his strength and urgency in his play that allows him to gain penetration, but he is never going to develop into an interior pass rusher. Still, he has shown good pocket disturbance as he can regularly penetrate

Closing on the QB 6.9 Tomlinson has the motor and desire to get to the quarterback. He can separate in the open with a surge and is tough to block when he keeps his pads down. He seems more productive closing on the quarterback when lined over the center’s head than working the gaps. He is able to close in the short area if he breaks free from the low blocks. He has an efficient initial outside burst, but where he can be special is when flushing out the pocket when he gets behind the line. One of his best assets is his hands, timing and leaping ability, having deflected ten passes over the last two seasons.
Instincts/Recognition 7.4 Tomlinson has good react-& -react skills. He plays with good instincts, awareness and recognition. He has a good feel for blocks and reacts well to blocking pressure. The thing I like on film is his ability to locate the ball quickly. He feels the play develop and will fight until the whistle.

Summation
Tomlinson is a good program player with quick hand reaction to shock and jolt and outstanding instincts working down the line. He anticipates the blocker’ moves and reacts with strength and quickness to blocking schemes. He is the type of competitor who plays with good intensity and playing strength, as he also shows good instincts, awareness and ball recognition ability.

When working in one-on-one situations, he will consistently penetrate and disrupt the plays. Tomlinson plays with very good leverage to anchor and hold ground and defeat blocks at the point of attack. He uses his hands effectively to stack and control. He is much better to neutralize and disrupt when in isolated situations, a he has the strength to work across blocks to the ball.

Tomlinson can pull the center, recover and make plays up and down the line. He has good lateral agility and shows fluid moves when changing direction. He is very hard to block, shows excellent field instincts, as he is quick to locate the ball and pursue the play in the short area. He has a very good feel for pressure and reacts with power-oriented moves rather than finesse the blocker.

His outstanding leverage is evident when he stacks and sheds vs. the run. He has good lateral agility and uses his hand jolt effectively to push the blocker back, redirect and shoot the gaps. When he moves down the line, he is quick to pick up schemes and plays with urgency to prevent the ball carrier from turning the corner.

2016 Season A dominant force up front on defense ... collected 62 total tackles and added three sacks (-28 yards), seven quarterback hurries and four pass breakups ... registered 5.5 tackles for loss (-32 yards) and forced a fumble ... a force in stopping the run, 55 of his tackles came against the opponent’s rushing attack ... named to the Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List ... selected as one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week for his outing at Ole Miss, and against Mississippi State, Chattanooga, Auburn and Florida. USC: Made his first career start, beginning the game at defensive tackle and collecting one stop by night’s end ... helped occupy blockers and limit the Trojan rushing attack to only 64 yards on the ground. Western Kentucky: Finished with three tackles, including a sack for loss (-5 yards) ... helped limit the high-powered Hilltopper offense to 239 yards of total offense, including only 23 on the ground. Ole Miss: Had a huge day against the Rebels, notching seven tackles to tie his career high mark ... also had one pass breakup by day’s end ... his seven stops ranked second on the team. Kent State: Collected one stop against the Golden Flashes in one half of play ... helped limit the KSU rushing attack to only 82 yards rushing. Kentucky: Made his way into the Wildcat backfield, finishing with a pair of tackles ... added one quarterback hurry and one pass breakup ... played a key role in limiting the UK offense to 161 total yards. Arkansas: A force up the middle all night, finished with three tackles and a career-high two quarterback hurries ... contributed to the Tide’s season-high 12 quarterback hurries against the Razorbacks. Tennessee: Totaled five tackles against the Volunteers ... helped limit the UT rushing attack to only 32 yards on the ground ... occupied blockers to allow for the Tide linebackers to disrupt the passing game and halt any momentum. Texas A& M: Finished with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack (-12 yards) ... totaled three tackles ... forced a fumble and knocked down a pass. LSU: Dominated up front for the Crimson Tide, finishing with six tackles against the Tigers ... collected 1.5 tackles for loss (-12 yards), including one sack (-11 yards) ... played a key role in stopping the LSU rushing attack, making five of his six stops against the run to help limit the Tigers to only 33 yards on rushing on 27 total attempts. Mississippi State: Registered a team-high tying six tackles ... added a quarterback hurry and graded out at 81.9 percent, tops among defensive players by Pro Football Focus ... named to the UA coaching staff’s defensive player of the week list for his performance against the Bulldogs. Chattanooga: Earned defensive player of the week honors from the UA coaching staff for his efforts against the Mocs ... set a new career-high mark and ranked second on the team with eight tackles ... added half a tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry. Auburn: Named one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week for a third consecutive week for his standout play in the Iron Bowl ... made four stops up front while pressuring the quarterback once and batting down a pass at the line ... helped limit the high-powered Auburn offense to 182 total yards ... Alabama also held the Tigers -- who entered the game leading the SEC in rushing -- to just 66 yards rushing or 232 yards less than its season average. Florida: Selected as one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week for his performance against the Gators ... recorded five tackles to rank third on the team ... added a pair of quarterback pressures to match his career-high mark ... his dominant play up front helped force three interceptions and limited the UF rushing attack to 0 total yards. Washington: Made four stops despite facing double teams all night ... his play up front was key in the Tide defense’s ability to hold the Huskies to only 44 yards rushing and 194 yards overall. Clemson: Made four tackles against the Tigers in the CFP National Championship Game ... added one tackle for loss.

2015 Season The first defensive lineman off the bench on the nation’s deepest defensive fronts ... led the team with six pass breakups from a down lineman and added 34 total tackles ... also had four quarterback hurries ... earned defensive player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaches for his efforts against ULM and Charleston Southern. Wisconsin: Saw action in the season opener, recording two total tackles, both assisted ... added a team-leading three pass breakups ... helped limit the Badger offense to just 268 yards of total offense and 17 points ... also plugged up the middle to limit UW to just 40 yards rushing on 21 total attempts. Middle Tennessee: Entered off the bench to provide the Tide with depth along the defensive line ... collected three tackles on the day ... helped limit the Blue Raider offense to just 86 yards on the ground. Ole Miss: A disruptive force up the middle, collected two tackles as well as his team-leading fourth pass breakup of the season. ULM: Made a season-high five stops along the defensive front and added one pass breakup ... helped limit the Warhawk offense to just 92 yards of total offense and only nine yards rushing. Georgia: Provided depth along the Alabama defensive front, putting pressure on the Bulldogs all afternoon ... did not record any stats by game’s end. Arkansas: Created a push along the defensive front, finishing his night with two quarterback hurries and one pass breakup to move his NCAA-leading total to six. Texas A& M: Put pressure on the Aggie quarterback, recording one hurry ... helped limit A& M to a season-low 23 points while holding the Aggie rushing attack to a lowly 32 yards on the ground. Tennessee: A force on the line, recorded one quarterback hurry and a tackle against the Vols ... provided depth to an Alabama defensive line rotation that recorded five sacks and eight quarterback hurries by day’s end. LSU: A key part in holding the Tiger offense below 200 yards, recorded four tackles, including half a tackle for a loss (-1 yard) ... helped limit the SEC’s leading rusher Leonard Fournette to 31 yards on 19 carries. Mississippi State: Made a season-high tying five stops along the defensive front ... helped bottle up Dak Prescott, limiting the Bulldogs’ leading rusher to only 14 yards rushing on 26 carries. Charleston Southern: Recorded four stops along the defensive front ... helped limit the Buccaneers to only 85 yards rushing. Auburn: Finished with one tackle along the defensive front ... helped plug holes to limit the Tiger rushing attack to only 91 yards, including just one yard on 14 carries in the second half. Florida: Made three total tackles along the defensive front ... was key in helping limit the Gators to only 15 yards on the ground. Michigan State: Notched three tackles along the defensive front ... played a key role in limiting the Spartan rushing attack to only 29 yards on the ground. Clemson: Added depth along the Crimson Tide defensive front, finishing with one solo stop in the national championship.

2014 Season A regular in the defensive line rotation at end for the Crimson Tide defense ... played in 14 games and had 22 tackles with eight solo stops, 2.0 sacks (-5 yards), 5.5 tackles for loss (-11 yards) and two quarterback hurries. West Virginia: Came off the bench but was a force for the Alabama defense with five tackles ... helped limit the Mountaineers to just 28 rushing yards ... had two solo tackles. FAU: Played but did not record any stats vs. the Owls. Southern Miss: Recorded one solo tackle off the bench … helped limit the Golden Eagles to only 56 rushing yards on 18 attempts ... added his first quarterback hurry of the season. Florida: Made one solo tackle, including one solo stop as the Tide limited the Gators to only 200 total yards. Arkansas: Added an assisted tackle in the Tide’s win over the Razorbacks, while helping limit the SEC’s best rushing attack to just 89 yards, 227 yards below their previous average. Tennessee: Registered the first sack of his career, dropping Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs for a one-yard loss ... finished with two solo tackles. LSU: Made three tackles, including two solo stops ... had two tackles for loss (-2 yards) and helped limit the Tigers to just 3.3 yards per rush and 76 passing yards. Mississippi State: Turned in a career-best seven tackles with two tackles for loss (-7 yards) and one sack (-4 yards). Auburn: Recorded two assisted tackles with half of a tackle for loss (-1 yard) ... added his second quarterback hurry of the season in the win over the No. 15 Tigers.

2013 Season Played in one game before a knee injury ended his season … had four tackles with two solo stops against Virginia Tech before the injury.

2012 Season Redshirted during his first season at the Capstone.

High School Picked the Crimson Tide on signing day to help solidify an outstanding 2012 class of defensive linemen … a four-star talent with good power … ranked 149th in the Rivals250 … Rivals.com rated him as the No. 11 defensive tackle nationally and the No. 11 player in the state of Georgia … Scout.com ranked him the country’s 17th-best defensive tackle … 247sports.com listed him as the No. 21 player in the Peach State and the No. 22 defensive tackle nationally … ESPNU three-star prospect who was rated 42nd among defensive tackles and 56th in Georgia … first team Georgia Sports Writers Association AAA All-State … SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 13 player in the state of Georgia … SuperPrep’s No. 53 defensive line prospect (ends and tackles) … Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 … No. 77 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Atlantic Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 11 defensive tackle … No. 50 in Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … had 109 tackles as a senior in 2011 with 8.5 sacks, four pass breakups and one blocked field goal … had 76 tackles with 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as a junior in 2010 … coached by Mike Rozier at Henry County High School … chose Alabama over Georgia Tech.

Compares To Cedric Thornton-Dallas Cowboys…Like Thornton, Tomlinson plays well when lined up over the center’s head. He needs to learn how to keep his pads down, as he has this nasty habit of popping up at the snap, leaving his chest exposed for the physical block. He has good lateral agility and uses his hand jolt effectively to push the blocker back, redirect and shoot the gaps. When he moves down the line, he is quick to pick up schemes and plays with urgency to prevent the ball carrier from turning the corner. He will often face multiple blockers and is very effective shedding them, when he maintains proper pad level. For my money, he could be the best “0-tech” player in the 2017 draft class, but he is also an invaluable addition, as he has experience as a one-tech. three-tech and five-tech, adding to his resume.