Alabama has gotten production from its tight ends, but it wants a young wide receiver to step up.
Through five games, Cameron Latu and Jahleel Billingsley caught seven of Bryce Young’s 17 touchdown passes.
He has built chemistry with both players, and tight ends in today’s college football are matchup problems. Since exiting Nick Saban’s doghouse, Billingsley has two scores and a 100-yard game versus Southern Mississippi.
As for Latu, he has five touchdowns — including two each against Miami and the Golden Eagles.
Both guys have played well off each other.
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Jameson Williams and John Metchie both lead in the Crimson Tide in a receiving category; however, does it have another playmaking weapon at receiver? Traeshon Holden, a native Floridian, was one of three receivers signed in Alabama’s 2020 recruiting class.
He attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Md., but transferred to Narbonne High School in California for his final prep season. Holden, who grew to 6’3″ and 208 pounds, had 31 catches for 512 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.
He came in the same group as Javon Baker and Thaiu Jones-Bell, but Holden is making moves. After playing five games last season, Holden turned in a good spring. He totaled nine receptions for 89 yards on A-Day and continued working through the offseason. Holden has played in all five matchups and saw his time increase with each game. He’s posted five catches for 73 receiving yards on a clip of 14.6 yards per catch. According to Nick Saban, Holden is the most consistent of the young receivers.
“He’s got the most playing time,” Saban said of Holden. “We need for some of our younger guys to step up, show maturity in terms of preparation, execution, knowledge, and following our older guys.”
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Other players have potential, but Holden is ready to make an impact.
“Traeshon is a good wide receiver,” Jameson Williams said Monday. “I love his game. He has a different playing style.”
Holden brings the size at 6-foot-3, yet he’s also a developed route runner. He and Bryce Young are roommates, and it would be great for the Tide to pop out another target to frustrate defenses. We will see how Holden looks versus Texas A&M.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
