Why DeBoer ‘loves’ direction Alabama tight end room is going in after inking 4-star

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Mack Sutter signed with the Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday, and Alabama is fired up to add another tight end to the program that brings a unique skillset.

Kalen DeBoer adds the 6-foot-5 230-pounder out of Illinois to an already stacked tight end room that recruits and involves a multitude of body types and skillsets in this current offensive system, and the second-year Alabama head coach said that ‘the sky’s the limit for Mack,’ adding that he loves the direction the room is heading in.

“I love the direction it’s going with the tight ends,” DeBoer said. “I love the athleticism, love the size that Mack brings. He’s a basketball player too. Just the multi-sport guys, you got spatial awareness. You can just see he’s got a feel of everything.”

DeBoer also said he can’t wait to get Sutter into the strength program, and shortly after, DeBoer switched gears to talk about the mindset that Sutter has and what stands out behind the scenes.

“He’s got an energy about him,” DeBoer said. “You can tell he’s just fired up to be here and get to work. Within the behind the scenes, these guys are just how they’re connecting already, I saw that with last year’s class. That’s what’s happening with this group. There’s a lot of guys that are a part of this, but Mack is definitely one of them that’s behind the scenes, really enjoying the relationships that’s he’s building with this group already.”

Circling back to the physical traits, DeBoer pointed out that Sutter’s father, Eddie, played in the NFL for a few seasons as a linebacker, making the point that Mack has good genes.

“Mack’s dad played in the NFL, so he’s got good genes there,” DeBoer said. “He’s got the length, he can run, he’s used to playing out in space, you know, he’s a willing blocker. There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll have an awesome career. I’m looking forward to an awesome career here for him.”

On the Alabama Crimson Tide’s National Signing Day livestream, general manager Courtney Morgan talked about the program’s approach to recruiting tight ends.

“I think what we try to do with tight ends is have a variety of different body types and different skillsets in the room,” Morgan said. “Definitely want to have the wide body types. You’re in line, hand in the dirt guys, and you also want have guys that are hybrid that can do both, and if you can find a true H, then that’s a luxury. But, our biggest thing is just having people that have different skillsets and roles so we’re never caught without. If you get too caught up in the recruiting watching guys catch passes and run touchdowns, then you look up and don’t have anybody to block the point of attack.”

Alabama has used tight ends like Josh Cuevas, Kaleb Edwards, Marshall Pritchett and Jay Lindsey in each of those roles that Morgan described, and based on what DeBoer said about Sutter, the four-star tight end can do it all.