2022 Alabama Crimson Tide Position Preview: Tight Ends
No one expected tight end Cameron Latu to have as big an impact in 2021 as he did. No one outside the Alabama football program, anyway.
Latu, who redshirted his freshman season, played sparingly in his first two seasons until he was called upon to start in 2021.
It was supposed to be Jahleel Billingsley’s time to shine at the position. The previous season, Billingsley showed signs of stardom with his 18 catches and three touchdowns.
Instead, Latu got the call and didn’t disappoint with 26 catches for 410 yards. His eight touchdowns set a school mark for touchdowns by a tight end.
For the 2022 season, it’s highly unlikely Latu will endure the same fate as Billingsley, who transferred to Texas. There are quite a lot of tight ends on the UA roster, but Latu is the only one with any real receiving experience. Robbie Ouzts has one catch while Kendall Randolph has zero, despite 13 starts at tight end. The rest are freshmen and transfer Miles Kitselman had two catches at Hutchinson Junior College.
So, Latu should be the solid No. 1. That’s the good news. But what if Latu gets injured? Then what? Ouzts earned playing time his freshman season and performed well during A-Day in the spring. He dealt with a lower-body injury and missed three games late in the season, but he’s a solid option as a backup.
“He’s had a really good spring,” Saban said after the spring game. “He’s one of the most improved guys. I think he got that award today. I think his confidence is a lot better. I think he’s playing a little faster. And we need depth at that position, so we need to continue to find guys that can develop and help us at that position.”
Then there is Randolph, who has split time at guard and tight end, mostly out of necessity for tight end depth. He’s a big help with run-blocking, but don’t expect him to catch any passes (unless offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has a trick play up his sleeve). Most likely, Randolph won’t be used at tight end due to an influx of freshmen.
That brings us to the new batch. Alabama signed Amari Niblack, Elijah Brown, Danny Lewis and Kitselman as part of the 2022 class. That’s a crowded group of newcomers at one position, but Alabama needs the depth.
All four players will get a chance to compete for playing time in the fall, and maybe one of them will earn the backup job. Brown has a leg up on the others as he arrived on campus early and was part of the Crimson Tide’s spring practice. However, Niblack enters fall camp with lots of buzz. The four-star signee, with his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, also played wideout in high school, and could be utilized there for the Crimson Tide.
“I feel like these guys came in, and they’re ready to work,” Latu told BamaCentral in June. “They’re busting their butts right now, and they’re really putting in the work. I ain’t going to lie, people are going to be really surprised by how much talent we got in this unit. I know we're excited to show them.”
- Cameron Latu (RSr.)
- Robbie Ouzts (So.)
- Miles Kitselman (So.)
- Amari NiBlack (Fr.) or Elijah Brown (Fr.)
Elijah Brown
No. 85, 6'5" 238 pounds, freshman
The early enrollee was known for being a playmaker in Ohio. The consensus four-star prospect was listed at No. 230 on the Top247 while ranking as the No. 14 tight end and No. 11 player in Ohio. He was 245th in the Rivals 250, the No. 9 tight end in the nation and 10th-ranked player in Ohio, while the 247Composite rated him at No. 300 overall, No. 14 tight end and No. 11 player in the state. ESPN has him highest as the No. 8 tight end in the country. Chose Alabama over Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Miles Kitselman
No. 88, 6'5", 250, sophomore
Spent one season at Hutchinson Community College. After being a lineman in high school, made the move to tight end and played in three total games for the Blue Dragons. He caught two passes for 16 yards and a touchdown.
Cameron Latu
No. 81, 6'5" 244 pounds, redshirt senior
The converted tight end from Salt Lake City set the Alabama record for touchdown catches by a tight end with eight, surpassing Irv Smith Jr.'s previous mark of seven in 2018. He finished tied for seventh in the SEC for touchdown receptions, while registering 26 total catches for 410 yards last season. Latu also returned two kickoffs. In 2020, he worked himself into a role on offense while continuing his duties on special teams. Played in 12 games, missing only the Arkansas game. Latu played in 11 games in 2019 as a reserve tight end and also played selection. Notched his first tackle of the season on punt coverage. He redshirted in 2018 following his freshman season and played in two games.
Danny Lewis Jr.
No. 87, 6-5, 255, Freshman
The physical hybrid tight end from Louisiana was rated to be a three-star recruit by all major outlets. Rivals.com had him, highest as the No. 19 tight end overall, while ESPN tabbed him the No. 25 tight end and No. 39 player from Louisiana, and 247Sports listed him the No. 30 tight end and No. 25 player in his home state by 247Sports. He chose Alabama over Florida, LSU and Cincinnati.
Amari Niblack
No. 84, 6-4, 225, Freshman
One of the top athletes in his class who can slot in at wideout or tight end. He was considered a four-star recruit by all major outlets, including as the No. 7 athlete and No. 22 player from Florida by both 247Sports and on the 247Composite. Niblack was also No. 140 on PrepStar’s Top 150 Dream Team. Rivals.com rated him as a wide receiver, No. 19 at that position and No. 21 from Florida. He was also a standout basketball player. Chose Alabama over Florida State, Georgia Tech and Indiana.
Robbie Ouzts
No. 45, 6'4" 258 pounds, sophomore
Earned playing time in the first 11 games of the 2021 season before suffering a lower-body injury. Ouzts was held out of the Iron Bowl, SEC Championship Game and Cotton Bowl before returning in the CFP National Championship, but didn't play. He caught one pass for eight yards as a freshman.
This is part of a preseason position-by-position look at the 2022 Alabama Crimson Tide.
