Dalvin Tomlinson keeps seeing stock rise as draft prep begins
MOBILE | A day before the Senior Bowl, former University of Alabama defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson received another honor. The 6-foot-3, 312-pounder has been reeling in praise all season long even as he remained, to the masses, an oft-overlooked part of the Crimson Tide’s defense 2016 defense.
Friday the Senior Bowl released its top practice players at each position and there Tomlinson’s name was alone representing the defensive line.
Multiple draft projections have Tomlinson slotted as a day two selection in the NFL Draft, with ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper saying Tomlinson should be drafted in the third round.
“I like Dalvin Tomlinson a lot,” Kiper said during a conference call last week. “I’ve written him up on ESPN.com as an under-the-radar guy. He doesn’t get enough publicity. He can handle double teams. He’s a guy I thought got into the backfield and wreaked some havoc. He’s certainly a real good player, defensive tackle against the run. He has versatility. I love his consistency, his durability.
“I like him. I have him right now as the eighth-best defensive tackle in a strong defensive tackle group…I think a third-round pick for Tomlinson, I would say.”
Seemingly an undervalued player during his playing career in Tuscaloosa, Tomlinson never batted an eye at what others thought. He knows his worth and his teammates knew what he brought. They also knew what he overcame to be where he is today with multiple degrees from UA.
Tomlinson lost his mother in high school from complications due to diabetes. Months before he was to report to Tuscaloosa, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament playing soccer. After healing and rehabilitating, he finally saw action in a game for the Crimson Tide. A week later, he tore his other ACL.
“After that point, I kind of questioned if anything was going to go good for me,” Tomlinson said. “It was pretty much a down point in my life. They were pretty dark days. My mom was my best friend. I could pretty much talk to her about everything. But I always knew she wouldn’t want me to be down like that. She wanted me to continue to work hard and push myself and better myself each and every day.
“That’s when my family and my faith in God got me through it. It motivated me to continue to work hard because hard work pays off after a while. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, it’s going to pay off. I just kept grinding and working hard each and every day and I’m blessed to be where I am today.“
After a solid week’s worth at the Senior Bowl, Tomlinson feels his stock is up in the eyes of NFL teams. Still, he knows he’s blessed to be in the position he’s in today. That’s why he isn’t fretting where he’ll end up playing at the next level.
“I think I can contribute to an NFL team, and I think they know I can contribute,” Tomlinson said. “To get to this point and start worrying about now is useless. I’m in a good spot, and I’m all the more thankful and appreciative to be here because of my journey to get to this point.”
Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.