O.J. Howard, Alabama
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 251 lbs.
40-yard dash: 4.51 seconds
Vertical: 30 inches
Arms: 33 3/4”
Hands: 10”
Tight end is typically one of the toughest positions to evaluate, though it has been seemingly made easier this year, thanks to a few players that stand out at the top of the list. Howard is one of those players, where it’s easy to see why his skill-set will translate to the NFL. He’s a three-down tight end who can seemingly do it all.
As a receiver, Howard can be used all over the field. There were times he was used in the slot, out wide, in the backfield, and of course in-line. While there are times that it doesn’t appear Howard is going full-speed, he absolutely hits the gas once the ball is in his hands, showing off his low-4.5 speed. It’s somewhat a miracle that a player who is 6’6” and 251 pounds can move the way Howard does, as it’s a sight to see, because he’ll outrun cornerbacks and safeties at times.
One of the oddest parts about Howard is his lack of a vertical (30 inches), as most athletic tight ends are able to reach at least 32 inches. At the NFL Combine, there were 16 tight ends who took part in the vertical, and just three of them were shorter than Howard. By comparison, Jimmy Graham has a 38.5 inch vertical, Greg Olsen a 35.5 inch, and Rob Gronkowski a 33.5 inch. It’s not the end-all-be-all, but it will hinder his ability to be thrown the jump balls in the endzone that most elite tight ends do. He’ll be a nightmare for secondaries regardless, because of his speed and ability to get open.
While watching the tape on Howard, it’s easy to find yourself wondering how he gets so open all the time, and a large reason for that is because he’s always on the field. There are plenty of times where Howard is left in to block, which means matching him up with a cornerback would be a waste of resources. Instead, safeties and linebackers are forced to deal with him, and that is going to end badly for the defense. He was a matchup nightmare because of the non-predictable play-calling when he was on the field.
Speaking of blocking, Howard stays on the field because he is a willing blocker. He’s very quick side-to-side in his blocking, so when trying to pass-rush, you’re going to have to go through him most of the time. The only concern with him on the NFL level is his lack of weight in the bottom half of his body, because he carries most of his weight near his shoulders. I’d like to see him add some muscle and get a bit more aggressive in his blocking, as he is a bit passive at times. It’ll be interesting to see what NFL teams throw at him, but I will say that he’s great at run-blocking in the open field, clearing lanes for his running back or quarterback.
Potential Landing Spot
It seems that Howard is going to be the No. 1 tight end off the board come draft day, simply because he’s the most polished prospect at the position right now. The Jets are apparently very interested in him, and even though they have many other roster holes to fill, they don’t have a tight end on the roster who should be starting in the NFL. If he falls to the Saints at No. 11 and they want a tight end, they’ll have a decision to make between Howard and David Njoku, though I believe Njoku fits their offense better at this point.
NFL Comparison
It’s a good thing when you’re compared to one of the best in the game, and that’s the case with Howard. His NFL comparison would be Greg Olsen, who ran the 40-yard dash in exactly 4.51 seconds, the same as Howard. While Howard was slightly better in the broad jump and 3-cone drill, Olsen topped him by a full 5.5 inches in vertical. Neither of them were great blockers coming out of college, though depending on where Howard lands, he may not be used as a blocker very much in his early years. They cause the most problems for defenses down the seam, forcing safeties to decide whether they’re going to cover the wide receiver or the tight end. In Howard’s and Olsen’s case, it’s hard to tell the difference.
To read up on some of the other high-profile NFL Draft prospects, check out the links below:
Mitch Trubisky – (QB, North Carolina)
Deshaun Watson – (QB, Clemson)
Pat Mahomes – (QB, Texas Tech)
Leonard Fournette – (RB, LSU)
Joe Mixon – (RB, Oklahoma)
Christian McCaffrey – (RB, Stanford)
Dalvin Cook – (RB, Florida State)
Corey Davis – (WR, Western Michigan)
Mike Williams – (WR, Clemson)
John Ross – (WR, Washington)
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.