Mark Sears, Deontae Lawson among Alabama athletes to earn degree this spring

The backbones of Final Four runs and leaders of Southeastern Conference championship teams achieved another kind of excellence at Alabama this spring. On Friday, UA announced that 80 student-athletes earned their degrees this semester. Ten football players were recognized, including Eli Ricks. The defensive back transferred to Tuscaloosa in 2022 after two seasons with LSU. Ricks went undrafted but latched on with the Philadelphia Eagles. Current Tide players Deontae Lawson and Keanu Koht were among those set to graduate. Both are expected to start in new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack's scheme next fall. Three members of the first-ever Alabama Final Four basketball team will make a walk across