Broncos Prospect Profile: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

Throughout the offseason, we’ll be profiling players who may end up in Denver when all is said and done with the 2017 NFL Draft. The Broncos clearly have plenty of holes to fill before they get back to Super-Bowl form and we’ll be examining a long list of players they may choose to help the franchise do just that.

It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos need help on the offensive side of the ball, and while the most pressing and obvious issues lie along the offensive line, the problems certainly don’t end there. One hole that’s showed up over the past two seasons is at the tight end position; since the 2015 departure of Julius Thomas and his more than 1000 yards and 24 TDs over the course of 2013 and 2014, the Broncos tight end position has grossly underachieved.

Despite minor signs of life at the end of 2016, early draft choice Jeff Heuerman has been a bust, Virgil Green hasn’t proven to be a legitimate threat in the air and while mid-season acquisition A.J. Derby showed to be serviceable, he doesn’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses. If the Broncos want to add an instant threat from the tight end position, look no further than Alabama tight end O.J. Howard.

Strengths

Howard is a flat out athlete that is simply a wide receiver in a big body. But don’t be fooled, Howard does work in the trenches, which is how he was able to stay on the field at Bama despite being underutilized in the passing game. His footspeed is impressive, especially when closing on a ball or in the open field. That speed made it just about impossible for linebackers to cover him in college.

At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Howard profiles right along with the Rob Gronkowskis, Julius Thomases and Martellus Bennets of the world and he has the athleticism to back that up, he’ll likely need to add a bit of weight in the league but everything about his frame suggest he’ll be able to do that just fine. Howard has a chance to be the next big-name tight end in the NFL.

Weaknesses

As noted above, Howard will need to put on weight to continue to be an effective blocker in the NFL. While it’s clear that he was underused at Alabama, the lack of elite production will be a cause for concern for some NFL teams considering him as a high draft pick. When elite production doesn’t match up with elite talent, “love for the game” questions often arise as well as “competitive nature” questions.

How he fits in Denver

Howard would make an immediate impact for the Broncos on the offensive side of the ball, especially in the red zone where they have not had a consistent threat over the past few seasons. No matter who is under center for the Broncos in 2017, a weapon like O.J. Howard lining up all over the field will do wonders for them. You can be certain that Mike McCoy will know how to use Howard better than Lane Kiffin did.