Trezmen Marshall Compares Current Alabama LB to Former Georgia Teammate

The Georgia transfer had high praise for Deontae Lawson, saying he reminds him of the 2021 Butkus winner.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama received a boost from the transfer portal this offseason with the addition of Georgia transfer Trezmen Marshall. The redshirt senior spent four seasons with the Bulldogs, winning two national championships, before joining the Crimson Tide. 

Marshall is second on the team with 40 tackles this season and also has 2.5 sacks. His career at Georgia was hampered by injuries, but he has been able to make an immediate impact with the Crimson Tide. (He left Saturday's game against Arkansas with an injury but said on Tuesday that he's feeling great and getting ready to play against Tennessee.)

Throughout his years at Georgia, Marshall was surrounded by some elite talent, just like he is now at Alabama. And even though he tries to stay away from comparing his current and former teammates too often, Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson reminds him of one of the Bulldogs' best players. 

"I was like, ‘Bro, you remind me of Nakobe [Dean,'"] Marshall said about Lawson. "I can look up to you. Even though you’re younger than me, I can look up to you because you lead the right way.”

Dean was a unanimous all-American in 2021 and won the Butkus Award given to the nation's top linebacker. He was a major part of Georgia's national championship run and would go on to be a third-round draft selection of the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Marshall called Lawson a "real-deal leader." Lawson is fourth on the team in tackles, but as the starter at middle linebacker, is considered the leader of the defense as a redshirt sophomore. Kool-Aid McKinstry called him the quarterback of the defense. 

"When he speaks, everyone listens because we know we can trust him," McKinstry said. "He knows the scheme. He knows exactly what he's talking about."

Even though he compared a current teammate with a former one, Marshall said it's all love with his former teammates, and it will be the same way once he leaves Alabama. He has loved his experience with the Crimson Tide so far.

"I love Coach Saban," Marshall said. "I love him. It's crazy how much I love him. Just being here, I found out this is really a tradition school. Everything here is traditional, and I like that. I love that about this school."

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