Everybody remembers the 2016 national championship game. On that night, OJ Howard exploded for 208 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. After Howard announced he would be staying at Bama for his senior season, the expectation was that he would be "the guy" on offense the next season. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Howard only had seven more receptions and one more touchdown than he had the year before. So how is a tight end that only had 3 regular season touchdowns the unanimous number one tight end? Here's why:
Measurables:Height- 6-5 5/8
Weight- 249 lbs
Hands- 10''
Arms- 33 3/8 in
Year:
Senior (22)
2016 Stat line (regular season):
45 receptions, 595 yards, 3 TDs
Pros: If I could play God and craft a tight end, he would look like OJ Howard. He is a monstrous human being that appears to be chiseled from granite. Howard is fast not just compared to his tight end peers, but to most football players in general. Don't be surprised if he breaks 4.6 at the combine. Howard's speed-size combo allow him to out-athlete linebackers and safeties while boxing out corners. Howard excels in gaining yards after the catch and can run away from almost any defender. Howard's size and long arms give him a huge catch radius and his hands stand out as being very good. Howard is not just a receiving threat either, as he excels in both pass and run blocking. He is fast enough to stay in front of the running back and does a great job of positioning his body so defenders cannot just bolt by him. When contact is made, Howard collides with power that knocks defenders back and takes them out of the play. In pass protection, Howard plays more like a very good blocking running back than an extra offensive lineman. He does provide good help for the tackles and guards, though, picking up any blocks they may have missed.
Cons: Agility is the biggest concern with me for Howard (and quite frankly, it isn't a big one anyway). While Howard is explosive after the catch, he is not very elusive. This is painfully evident whenever he catches a ball in the flat and cannot make the first guy miss. He needs to quicken his feet and elude tacklers. Howard also needs to clean up his route running. When he beats people, it is more because he is a better athlete or is schemed-open rather than because he ran a crisp route. The key to running a good route is disguising your intentions and using your body to misdirect opponents. Howard needs to learn this if he wants to be successful against linebackers who are as athletic as he is, such as the Carolina Panthers trio.
Pro Comparison: Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans
Delanie Walker is one of the more unappreciated players in the NFL. He is the full package at tight end. In the passing game, he has great hands and speed. He can easily pull away from defenders in a foot chase. Walker also excels as a run blocker, where he uses his athleticism to wall off defenders and take them out of the play.
3 teams that might want him: The Giants have not had an elite tight end since Jeremy Shockey, and could really use a good receiver taller than 6'1'' for red zone usage. Plus, Howard could help out an offensive line that looked pitiful at times. Speaking of pitiful lines, the Broncos could use a weapon like Howard. He could open up holes for an inconsistent run game and provide a security blanket for whatever young quarterback they choose to start. While the Texans have had quarterback struggles, they still need a tight end with a higher upside than CJ Fiedorowicz, especially when Brock Osweiler loves to throw to his tight ends.
Conclusion: OJ Howard is the complete package at tight end. He can be on the field all three downs and has the potential to be a pro bowler as a rookie. OJ Howard is a first round pick and a slam-dunk one at that.
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