2017 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Jamal Adams, S, LSU Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama Ryan Anderson, LB, Alabama Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado Budda Baker, S, Washington Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee Garett Bolles, OT, Utah Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida Jake Butt, TE, Michigan Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida Pat Elflein, G, Ohio State Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama Dan Feeney, G, Indiana Devonte Fields, OLB, TCU Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M Davon Godchaux, DT, LSU Charles Harris, DE, Missouri Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State Josh Jones, S, N.C. State Sidney Jones, CB, Washington Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss Desmond King, CB, Iowa Kevin King, CB, Washington DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky Marshon Lattimore, CB, Onio State Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech Marcus Maye, S, Florida Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State Takkarist McKinley, DE/LB, UCLA Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA David Njoku, TE, Miami Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan Ethan Pocic, C, LSU Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin Haason Reddick, LB, Temple Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama John Ross, WR, Washington Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin Davis Webb, QB, California Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU Marcus Williams, S, Utah Mike Williams, WR, Clemson Tim Williams, DE, Alabama Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida Chris Wormley, DE, Michigan

O.J. Howard, 6-5/249



Tight End



Alabama

O.J. Howard Scouting Report

By Charlie Campbell





Fast

Rare speed

Supreme receiving tight end

Mismatch nightmare

Impressive yards-after-the-catch skills for a tight end

Extremely athletic

Generally sure-handed

Quick release off the line

Superb body control

Great catch radius

Leaping ability

Good route-running

Improved blocker

Phenomenal middle-seam tight end

Too fast for linebackers

Too big for safeties

Red-zone weapon

Three-down mismatch tight end

Very versatile

Athletic enough to play h-back

Upside

Uses size to make receptions downfield

Adept at finding the soft spot in zone

Works the middle seam well

Tracks the ball well

Quality run blocker

Decent feet in pass protection

Can sustain his blocks

Hits blocks on the second level

10-15 year starter if he stays healthy

Experienced

Effective against good competition

Strong

Deceptive quickness, athleticism

Quality hands

Durable

Ready to play immediately

Quality blocker, but not overpowering

Generally good hands, but will drop an occasional pass

2017 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Jamal Adams, S, LSU Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama Ryan Anderson, LB, Alabama Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado Budda Baker, S, Washington Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee Garett Bolles, OT, Utah Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida Jake Butt, TE, Michigan Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida Pat Elflein, G, Ohio State Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama Dan Feeney, G, Indiana Devonte Fields, OLB, TCU Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M Davon Godchaux, DT, LSU Charles Harris, DE, Missouri Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State Josh Jones, S, N.C. State Sidney Jones, CB, Washington Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss Desmond King, CB, Iowa Kevin King, CB, Washington DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky Marshon Lattimore, CB, Onio State Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech Marcus Maye, S, Florida Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State Takkarist McKinley, DE/LB, UCLA Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA David Njoku, TE, Miami Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan Ethan Pocic, C, LSU Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin Haason Reddick, LB, Temple Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama John Ross, WR, Washington Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina Anthony Walker, LB, Northwestern Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State DeShaun Watson, QB, Clemson T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin Davis Webb, QB, California Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU Marcus Williams, S, Utah Mike Williams, WR, Clemson Tim Williams, DE, Alabama Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida Chris Wormley, DE, Michigan

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A mismatch receiving tight end is one of the most desired offensive weapons across the NFL. With a legit combination of size and speed, tight ends are very difficult to defend in the middle portion of the field while providing third-down and red-zone weapons for their quarterbacks. If the tight end brings size and effectiveness as a blocker, they are even more lethal. Thus, a tight end like O.J. Howard borders on being prototypical for the position in terms of what the NFL is looking for in 2017.As a freshman, Howard flashed big-time potential, hauling in 14 passes for 269 yards (19.2 average) with two touchdowns. As a sophomore, the talented tight end as very under-utilized by offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. Howard had only 17 receptions for 260 yards. In 2015, Howard totaled 38 catches for 602 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came in the National Championship win over Clemson as part of five-receptions, 208-yard explosion; that was a monstrous performance to help the Crimson Tide win that game.In 2016, Howard totaled 45 receptions for 595 yards with three touchdowns. He showed significant improvement as a blocker and route-runner during his final season for Alabama. Following the season, Howard put together a tremendous week at the Senior Bowl where he impressed on the field with his receiving skills and blocking. Sources also said that Howard interviewed well with teams.Howard is a real weapon as a receiver. Naturally, he is just extremely athletic and a fast tight end to get downfield quickly. He often burned man coverage and was very adept at finding the soft spot in zone coverage. Howard has a big frame to box out safeties and leaping ability with body control to make catches over defenders. Linebackers have little chance of covering Howard in man coverage; only elite NFL linebackers with great speed could cover Howard. He should be a tremendous middle-seam tight end who produces big plays for his offense.Howard turned himself into a quality route-runner and has generally reliable hands, minus an occasional drop. He is a receiving weapon in the red zone, but also is dangerous with some run-after-the-catch skills. Howard has a burst to rip off yards and is tough to bring down in the open field for defensive backs. Defenders are caught by surprise as the big tight end runs away from many down the field.Along with his route-running, Howard really improved as a blocker in his senior year. He was making some nice edge blocks to free his backs, and he hit some huge blocks against Clemson in the National Championship to spring runs for his back. Howard has quick feet and latches on long enough in pass protection to buy his quarterback time. In the ground game, Howard got better at sustaining his blocks and getting into the body of the defender. A big part of blocking for tight ends is just having the desire and giving an effort, Howard does that and has turned himself into a three-down starter for the NFL.Here's how one Southeast area scout broke down Howard, "He's as close to a complete tight end over the last few that have come out. He's a better blocker online than Eric Ebron and Tyler Eifert were coming out. Not as good of a route runner as either of them coming out, but I attribute most of that to how he was used. [Howard] looked pretty good at Senior Bowl since his game was able to expand a bit more in that system last week. Howard is probably faster than Eifert, and they have comparable hands. The Greg Olsen comparisons hold merit, but Howard is a much better blocker than Olsen coming out of Miami."As a pro, Howard could be a devastating mismatch weapon and one of the top receiving tight ends in the NFL. He should continue to improve and be a quality blocker, but probably will never be a bull. Howard looks like a potential 10-to-15-year quality starter. In terms that and his talent, Howard is deserving of mid- to late first-round consideration in the 2017 NFL Draft.Like the scout quoted above said, the Olsen comparison holds merit. Olsen isn't a beast as a blocker, but he has turned himself into a serviceable player in that regard. Howard did the same at Alabama and has the upside to be a better blocker than Olsen as a pro. As a receiver, Howard could easily turn into a weapon like Olsen through the air. They are similar in size, speed and athleticism. Olsen was a late first-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, and Howard should go in the middle to back portion of the first round in 2017.Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Denver, Houston, New York Giants, Green Bay and PittsburghThere are a lot of teams that could use tight end help, and Howard could be the top-rated player at the position from the 2017 NFL Draft. In the middle portion to the back half of the first round, there are a lot of potential landing spots for Howard. Perhaps the highest that he could hope to go would be the Titans at pick No. 18. They could use a tight end to pair with Delanie Walker, plus Walker didn't close out the 2016 season in great fashion.Tampa Bay has wanted to make two-tight end sets a big part of their offense. Cameron Brate has turned into the secondary tight end, but Austin Seferian-Jenkins didn't work out as the primary. Howard could give the Bucs that primary weapon with a safety receiver for Jameis Winston. The versatile Howard would also improve the run blocking and pass protection on the edge.The Broncos could use a No. 1 tight end, and Howard would make a lot of sense for Denver. He could be a nice weapon for Paxton Lynch.The Texans badly need a receiving tight end to pair with C.J. Fiedorowicz. Howard would be an instant upgrade to the Houston offense. If the Texans don't use their first-round choice on a quarterback, Howard could be in play for them.The Packers could look to upgrade their tight end position, and Howard would be a great fit. He makes all sorts of sense for Green Bay.Howard shouldn't fall past Pittsburgh as he would be the best player available if he made it to the Steelers at No. 30. Jesse James is just a backup quality tight end, while Ladarius Green had injury issues in 2016. Howard would be an instant upgrade for Pittsburgh.