The tight end position played a role in the Crimson Tide’s offense during Kalen DeBoer’s first season in Tuscaloosa, and this looks to not be changing anytime soon.
CJ Dippre, Robbie Ouzts and Josh Cuevas combined for 582 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2024. Dippre and Ouzts’ departures remove 364 yards and two touchdowns of the production with them moving on to pursue the NFL after graduating.
Alabama used multiple tight ends on offense for quite a bit last season, and this trend looks to continue in 2025. Cuevas told reporters last week the Crimson Tide are training each Alabama tight end to be able to play every down this spring under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
“Right now, I think we’re trying to mold everybody into an all-down tight end for sure with this offense,” Cuevas said. “We’re trying to get everybody to do everything, especially with our room a little young. So, right now we’re kind of getting things a little bit rolling. Right now, we’re just trying to mold everybody into an all-down tight end and right now, whatever they’re good at, the coaches are going to put them in for.”
Cuevas also shared the Crimson Tide has been watching film of Noah Fant with the Seattle Seahawks from last season.
“We watch a lot of Noah Fant film,” Cuevas said. “Coach Grub, he gives me a whole bunch of clips and Coach Ellis, he gives me a whole bunch of his clips, just kind of watching how dynamic he is on the ball and off the ball and just kind of just trying to work to replicate his game a little bit more. So, there’s a lot of film on the Seahawks coming with coach Grubb, but it’s been great.”
Who steps up at tight end for Alabama next season could play major dividends for the Tide.
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Justin Smith is the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
