Buccaneers Draft 2017: Three Things To Know About O.J. Howard

Last night, the Buccaneers drafted someone that wasn’t expected to be on the board that long: Alabama tight end O.J. Howard. Here are three things to note about him.

The Buccaneers just added a big-time weapon to Jameis Winston‘s arsenal with the No. 19 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Alabama tight end O.J. Howard (whose birth name is O’Terrius Jabari Howard) brings a whole lot to Tampa Bay. Here, we have three things you need to know about the newest Buccaneer.

More from The Pewter Plank

• Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
• ESPN predicts surprising outcome to Devin White trade saga
• Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
• Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
• The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023

1. He Was A Top Tight End In College Despite Playing In An Offense That Didn’t Suit Him

In his four years at the University of Alabama, Howard caught 114 passes for 1,726 yards and seven touchdowns. If those numbers don’t seem too impressive, it’s because he played in an offense that doesn’t exactly rely heavily on the passing attack. It’s no secret that the Crimson Tide play power football, relying mostly on a fierce ground game. The emphasis on power running has left a lot to be desired at the quarterback position in recent years.

The four quarterbacks that Howard played with were A.J. McCarron, Blake Sims, Jake Coker and Jalen Hurts. Those quarterbacks have talent, yes, but they were never necessarily asked to do much other than manage the offense. Despite that, Howard was still one of the top tight ends in college football, especially in his senior season. In his final year with the Tide, he caught 45 passes for 595 yards and three touchdowns. He received first-team All-American honors from Pro Football Focus, third-team honors from Associated Press and second-team All-SEC honors.

2. He Has Big-Game Ability

Although his career numbers at Alabama weren’t anything overly special, Howard flashed big-game ability quite a few times. He came on strong in his junior and senior seasons, which is when he put up the biggest numbers. In his junior year, he won Most Valuable Player in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. In Alabama’s win over Clemson, he caught five passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns.

As a senior, his best regular season game came against Texas A&M, who was No. 6 at the time. He hauled in eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in the 33-14 win. When Alabama returned to the national title game once again, he shredded the Clemson defense for a second straight year. He finished with just four catches, but they went for 106 yards and a touchdown. He certainly has big-play ability, which will be drawn out of him even more once he gets into a rhythm with a quarterback as talented as Jameis Winston.

3. He Is A High-Character Guy Off The Field

Howard has great size and a lot of ability. Along with that, he is a good guy off the field. That’s always important to look for in a talented player. Especially these days, it seems rare to find top talent that doesn’t get into trouble when he’s not playing football. With Howard, it appears the Bucs found that special mix of talent and character.

He was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, which is given to just one player in each Division I sport (CLASS stands for “Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School”). The award honors and promotes those who use their standing as athletes to make a positive impact in their communities. Not only was he a finalist for this prestigious award, but he was also named to the SEC Community Service Team. And in addition to that, he appears to be a good family man, which is always fantastic to see. In short, not only did the Bucs just gain a very talented football player for their improving offense, but the Tampa Bay area also gained a great citizen who will make a positive impact for years to come.

Next: Buccaneers Draft O.J. Howard, Fans React On Twitter

There you have it, Bucs fans. O.J. Howard is your newest Buccaneer. You can find him on Twitter @TheRealOjHoward. Take some time to follow him and welcome him to Tampa Bay.