5x5: The Best Alabama Tight Ends During the Nick Saban Era

Five different ways to rate the top players at each position for the Crimson Tide during the greatest dynasty in college football history.

Mention the name O.J. Howard to most Alabama Crimson Tide fans, and the thing they'll almost certainly mention first was his big-play ability against Clemson in two national championships. 

During the title game for the 2015 season, he had five catches for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns en route to being named Offensive MVP. The yards were the most in a bowl game in Alabama history, and set a College Football Playoff record.

A year later, he again led all receivers in yards with 106 on four receptions , including a career-long 68-yard touchdown.

Here's the thing, though. During those two seasons Howard finished with 602 and 595 receiving yards, respectively. If you subtract the 314 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the championship games against the Tigers, he would have had pretty pedestrian numbers:

Year, G, Catches, Yards, Avg. TDs

• 2013 10 14 269 19.2 2
• 2014 9 17 260 15.3 0
• 2015 11 33 394 11.9 0*
• 2016 14 41 489 11.9 2*

Of course, there's something to be said about big-game performances, which is why he ended up being a first-round selection in the NFL draft. It should also be noted that Howard's offensive coordinators were Doug Nussmeier in 2013, and then Lane Kiffin right up to the final championship game when Steve Sarkisian took over. 

But it's ironic that the school that produced a player who became synonymous with the tight end position in the NFL, Ozzie Newsome, has never had a tight end named a first-team All-American.

That statement requires a couple of slight disclaimers. First, Alabama had players named at "End" during the 1920s-40s including Don Hutson, who went on to revolutionize the wide receiver position with the Green Bay Packers and was twice named the NFL's most valuable player. It also had some players named at split end in the 1960s including Ray Perkins. 

Second, Newsome himself was named an All-American at Alabama in 1974, but his listed position was wide receiver. 

Regardless, not only has the Crimson Tide has never had an All-American tight end during the Nick Saban era (since 2007), it's the only position it hasn't had at least one All-American during that span.  

The Best Alabama Tight Ends of the Nick Saban Era

Five different ways to rate the top players at each position for the Crimson Tide during the greatest dynasty in college football history.

Recruiting

The top 5 tight end prospects when signing with the Crimson Tide:

1. O.J. Howard, 2013
2. Hale Hentges, 2015
3. Brian Vogler, 2010
4. Michael Williams, 2008
5. Malcolm Faciene, 2011

Statistics

Two categories, both single season:

Yards

1. Irv Smith Jr., 2018, 44-710
2. O.J. Howard, 2015, 38-602
3. O.J. Howard, 2016, 45-595
4. Cameron Latu, 2021, 26-410
5. Cameron Latu, 2022, 30-377

Bart Boatwright / USA Today staff

Touchdowns 

1. Cameron Latu, 2021, 8
2. Irv Smith Jr., 2018, 7
3. Four Players Tied with Four (Latu, Brad Smelley, Michael Williams and Miller Forristall)

Awards

Trophies at the tight end position have always been fleeting for the Crimson Tide. 

John Mackey Award: The honor for the nation's most outstanding tight end has been around since 2000. It's one of the few position awards that an Alabama player has never won. 

First-Team All-American: Alabama's never had a player listed as the position. It's had plenty of selections at end and split end, but no one specifically listed at tight end. 

Second-Team All-American: The last selection was Lamonde Russell in 1989. 

First-Team All-SEC: The most recent selection was Russell in 1989.

Second-Team All-SEC: O.J. Howard was selected in 2016, and Colin Peek in 2009. 

NFL Draft

Alabama's had five selections during the Nick Saban era:

• O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2017, first round, 19th overall
• Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings, 2019, second round
• Cameron Latu, San Francisco 49ers, 2023, third round
• Brad Smelley, Cleveland Browns, 2012, seventh round 
• Michael Williams, Detroit Lions, 2013, seventh round

Marvin Gentry / USA Today Sports

Overall

1. O.J. Howard
2. Irv Smith Jr. 
3. Cameron Latu
4. Michael Williams
5. Brad Smelley 

This is the sixth story in the 5x5 series, which will continue throughout July. Check out:

Offense

Centers
Tackles

Defense 

Defensive ends
Cornerbacks

Special Teams