Five Things To Know About Alabama Tight End Josh Cuevas

Alabama graduate Josh Cuevas looks to become the third Crimson Tide tight end selected in the NFL Draft in the last four seasons this weekend as the professional football world decends on Pittsburgh to select the next crop of superstars.

The Californian spent the last two seasons in Tuscaloosa and now looks to begin his professional career with an NFL team.

Five Things To Know About Alabama Tight End Josh Cuevas

He's George Kittle and Travis Kelce in One

Cuevas became one of Alabama's most reliable players in 2025, so much so that the Crimson Tide quarterback compared him to two of the best tight ends in football.

"We can use him in so many different ways," Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson said. "And then, us asking him to do the stuff that he does, it's incredible. Like, the fact that that guy came so far from an FCS school to Washington to here and is playing at an All-American level — he's my guy, man. I thank him every day. He's like a safety blanket. You know what I mean? Not many tight ends can act like Travis Kelce and block like George Kittle."

The Long Road, From All-Big Sky to The NFL

Cuevas took a long route to this weekend's celebration. His senior season of high school was inturrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, forcing him to only play in four games and go without notice on the recruiting trail. He began his college career at FCS Cal Poly and redshirtted in 2021 before breaking out an earning All-Big Sky honors as a redshirt freshman with 57 receptions totaling 622 yards and six touchdowns.

He entered the transfer portal and ended up at Washington playing for Kalen DeBoer. Cuevas hauled in four receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown to help the Huskies make a run to the national championship game. He then entered the transfer portal again and followed DeBoer to Tuscaloosa where he played the last two seasons hauling in 53 receptions for 629 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games.

"Josh is an elite tight end," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. "He's as good a player as we have on this football team. He's heavily involved in the pass game every week. He's always a viable target, and he's definitely a guy who has the courage to get in there and block as well. You saw him on a couple of ISO blocks. He's a phenomenal player.  He's a guy who breaks tackles. He's not just a tight end who's going to catch a stick route and fall down. He's absolutely a spark in our offense in a lot of different ways. So super valuable guy."

Cuevas finished fourth on the team in receptions with 37, fifth in yards with 411, and tied for third in touchdown receptions with three, exemplifying his reliability as a receiver throughout the year.

Hispanic Heritage

Cuevas was named to the 2025 Hispanic College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List as he proudly represents his Mexican heritage. His father, Ivan, was born in Ciudad Guzmán, Mexico, to a pair of Mexican immigrants.

“There’s so many kids like me growing up just kind of looking for those kinds of public figures,” Josh Cuevas told Our Esquina. “And kind of in the sports realm, especially in football, there’s not very many Latinos in kind of like the football realm.”

2025 Hispanic College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List: Josh Cuevas🏈#orgullohispano pic.twitter.com/fHHnVOSfDW
— HISPANIC FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME (@HispanicFB) October 1, 2025

Warrior Mindset

Cuevas became one of Alabama's best receivers in 2025, despite missing three games in November. The graduate broke his foot before the Crimson Tide's matchup against Eastern Illinois. He went on to miss the Auburn game and the SEC Championship against Georgia but fought back to return for the College Football Playoff.

“I’m feeling great," Cuevas said ahead of the Rose Bowl. "Shoutout to our training staff. They’re the best of the best. I mean, I legit broke my foot in the middle of the season and came back in the same season. So, that’s a tribute to them, and I’m ready to go for this game.

He hauled in seven passes for 70 yards in Alabama's two playoff games after breaking his foot.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Cuevas is a versatile tight end that can play both on and off the line of scrimmage. He is a competitive blocker and plays with intensity and a high motor. He is a capable athlete and shows up well in the passing game, catching the ball with his hands and competing well for the football the catch point. He played special teams at Alabama in 2024 and Washington in 2023.

The fifth year senior doesn't have elite size or arm length, putting him at a physical disadvantage against the top of the line athletes in the NFL. His shorter arm length means his catch radius is limited and he could stand to improve his details as a route runner.

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