Tide in Transition: Alabama Would Still Like to Add to More Veteran Tight End Group

Nick Saban has made it clear he'd like to land another tight end for 2020 season

T.G. Paschal/BamaCentral

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — For the rest of his life, Alabama tight end Miller Forristall has a claim to fame that will make him the answer to a pretty good trivia question.

Who caught the final touchdown pass during the illustrious 2019 season, when the Crimson Tide had Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback and its best receiving crops in program history with Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle?

To give the answer in the style of solving a Clue game: Forristall, 20-yard catch-and-go touchdown, against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. Plus, the throw came from Mac Jones.

If Alabama has a position weakness on the roster it’s at tight end, where there wasn’t much experienced depth last season. To help provide a little extra blocking, especially in short-yardage situations, the Crimson Tide turned to its offensive linemen and had both Chris Owens and Kendall Randolph don two different jerseys depending on where they lined up.

It’s something that Alabama might continue to do, at least for the foreseeable future.

In terms of receiving, Forristall led the group with 15 catches for 167 yards and four touchdowns. However, he also missed four games after suffering a throat injury that required surgery to repair both his larynx and hyoid bone.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Forristall said at the Citrus Bowl. “I’m very blessed that the severity wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Anything surrounding your throat and airway, pre-surgery or post-surgery, is obviously stuff you worry about.

“I could speak within a couple of days. Eating was the worst part. I dropped a couple of pounds. We’re back and I’m really glad to be back with the team.”

As a redshirt sophomore, Major Tennison was second on the receiving list with three catches for 21 yards and one touchdown, and true freshman Jahleel Billingley caught his first reception. Both he and redshirt freshman Cameron Latu played in nearly every game.

So just becoming more of a veteran group figures to help the offense, plus Alabama has added a prospect as Caden Clark signed his letter of intent.

However, the Crimson Tide would still like to add another top talent at the position, or possibly a graduate transfer.

“We still want to recruit, we got one tight end, and we still would entertain another one at that position,” Nick Saban said during the early signing period. “We still have a few spots that we'd like to add to, but that's kind of there wasn't one specific thing but you know, sort of, what are you going to lose versus what are you going to gain type of approach.”

Alabama Tight Ends

On Roster

Name, Recruiting Class, Stars, Rank

Tight ends 

Cameron Latu 2018, 4, 131*

Major Tennison, 2017, 4, 284

Jahleel Billingsley, 2019, 4, 308

Miller Forristall, 2016, 3, 382

Michael Parker, 2018, 3, 690

Departures

Giles Amos, walk-on

Incoming

Caden Clark, 2020, 3, 489

* Rankings are 247composite; *-indicates ranking was at another position

This is the fifth story in a series that will appear over the next week on BamaCentral

• What Alabama’s QB Situation Looks like Moving Forward

• Alabama’s Wide Receivers will have a Different Look in 2020

• Linebacker Corps Should go back to Being Position of Strength

• Alabama's Most Improved Position Group in 2020? That's Easy, the Defensive Line