Alabama football suffered a blow when senior tight end Cameron Latu was injured in fall camp. Latu, the team’s leading returning receiver, is expected to be out for a few weeks with a knee injury. He will likely miss the opening portion of Alabama’s schedule.
The next man up is likely Robbie Ouzts, a physical sophomore who has primarily played fullback and H-back for the Tide. The only other tight end on the roster with collegiate playing experience is another sophomore, JUCO transfer Miles Kitselman. Like Ouzts, Kitselman is a gritty, blue collar tight end whose strength is his blocking.
Sure, Ouzts and Kitselman are capable of catching the ball. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have scholarships to play tight end for the University of Alabama. However, they do not have much proven experience as receivers, even relative to their limited playing time and one-year sample size.
Ouzts and Kitselman collectively have just three career catches for 24 yards. Ouzts’ catch came in a lopsided win over New Mexico State, and both of Kitselman’s grabs came against junior college competition. They will be the most experienced tight ends on the Alabama football roster when the season kicks off, but neither has a catch in a high-stakes college football game.
Alabama football: New blood in tight end room
Alabama’s freshman tight ends, of course, are also inexperienced. Still, the trio of Amari Niblack, Danny Lewis Jr., and Elijah Brown may be the Tide’s best pass-catching options at the position. All three have plus-athleticism with basketball backgrounds, and were effective receivers at the high school level. Each was agile enough to split out as a wide receiver and create mismatches against defensive backs. It would not surprise me if one of these guys stepped up in Latu’s absence and found a role in the passing game.
Niblack was a highly touted 4-star prospect and was ranked as the no. 5 athlete in the nation. He has received the most buzz of the three, both in recruiting and throughout the offseason. Alabama football fans are always looking for the next flex tight end that can make an impact in the passing game. Guys like OJ Howard and Irv Smith Jr. added another element to recent Alabama offenses with their combination of size and athleticism. Niblack could very well fit that mold. We will find out over the next couple of weeks if he can find a niche in the 2022 rendition of Bill O’Brien’s offense.
Alabama football: Tight end is a fruitful position in Tide offense
With O’Brien calling plays and Bryce Young at quarterback, tight ends have an opportunity to thrive in Tuscaloosa. Young is an intelligent quarterback that is mature beyond his years. He was exceptional as a first-year starter at scanning through his progressions and finding his checkdown receivers. Young made it apparent that he loves to target running backs, slot receivers such as Slade Bolden, and especially tight ends.
He and Latu were both new to the first team offense in 2021 and formed an almost instant connection. The pair collaborated on two first-half touchdowns in Alabama’s commanding season-opening win over Miami. This performance was indicative of what was to come, as Young found Latu for eight scores on the season, a school record for tight ends.
While Latu continues to rehab his knee injury, and even after he returns, it wouldn’t be implausible for Young to get comfortable looking for another tight end target.