He got recruited to the University of Alabama as an outside linebacker, but Cameron Latu has grown into an offensive playmaker at tight end.
Latu started to pop in the spring of 2021 and recorded a good season.
RELATED: Alabama sees league-best 19 players named to Preseason All-SEC Teams
He finished fifth on the team in receptions (26) and totaled 410 yards receiving with eight touchdowns.
Latu set a single-season school record for most touchdowns by a tight end in Crimson Tide history. The 6-foot-5, 244-pounder returned to the Tide for an opportunity to win a College Football Playoff National Championship and increase his value for the 2023 NFL Draft. Latu will open the preseason as a candidate for the John Mackey Award. The honor goes to the nation’s most outstanding tight end since 2000. Alabama’s had some marquee tight ends, including O.J. Howard and Irv Smith Jr., but the program has yet to have a Mackey Award winner. Latu could be the first player to earn the award for Alabama football.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
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.
