Alabama Football Spring Preview: Tight Ends

In the National Football League, the tight end is becoming extinct.  Come to think of it, in college football, the tight end is becoming a rarity as well-except at Alabama.

The position has become on of the most important in the Alabama offense in recent years with the threat of pass catchers like Collin Peak and Brad Smelly wreaking havock on opposing defenses with size and speed.  Both played pivotal roles in helping Alabama capture national championships in 2009 and 2011 with key catches in some of the most important games.

However, last season the position played less of a role in Alabama’s passing game, but a huge role in Alabama’s running game.  Pop on the tape of Alabama’s SEC Championship victory over the Georgia Bulldogs and national title win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and you will consistently see Michael Williams and Brian Vogler consistently springing runs for Eddy Lacy and TJ Yeldon.

In 2013, Alabama will lose Michael Williams’ services to the National Football league and former five star prospect Brent Calloway as the redshirt freshman tight end/h-back was dismissed from the team following his second arrest in his time at the Capstone for the fraudulent use of a credit/debit card.

Calloway’s services will be missed as the highly touted talent showed plenty of promise in limited duty, rotating between h-back and running back.  The feeling was he could develop into the role Brad Smelly vacated, but now Alabama will have to look elsewhere to fill the void.

Insert OJ Howard.

Howard is one of the most intriguing prospects for the Crimson Tide and fortunately for Alabama, he is already on campus as an early enrollee.  He’s got a towering frame at 6-foot-6 and 230lbs with 4.5 speed with the ability to leap toward the clouds.  He’s said to be a wide receiver in a tight end’s body and while he may be an instant impact as a receiver, keep an eye on his development as a blocker this spring-often one of the biggest adjustments for incoming freshman.  If he can develop as a blocker, with his skill set, it will be hard to keep him off the field.

While Howard will get a lot of attention, Brian Vogler has shown that he can more than hold down the fort as a blocker, and at 6-foot-7 inches, has all the potential to be a factor in the receiving game-especially on jump ball opportunities.

Also be sure to keep an eye on both Harrison Jones (Barrett’s younger brother) who worked his way into the rotation at times in 2012.