Alabama football will have linebacker Deontae Lawson back for the 2024 season.

Lawson announced he will be returning on Thursday.

"Nothing to be said," Lawson wrote on social media. "I'm back."

Lawson played in 11 of 14 games in 2023, dealing with an ankle injury at times. His best game was against Tennessee, in which he tallied 12 tackles and defended one pass.

The Mobile native will be a redshirt junior in 2024. His return gives Alabama a key starter back, and he likely will fill that role alongside Jihaad Campbell again. Lawson has been with Alabama since the 2021 season. He brings 15 starts and has played in 26 games over his tenure.

Alabama has seen players such as Dallas Turner, Kool-Aid McKinstry and JC Latham declare for the 2024 NFL Draft. Lawson was seen as another possibility, but he will return with another chance to improve his draft stock. The deadline to declare is Jan. 15.

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Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Deontae Lawson: Alabama football linebacker to stay for 2024