Bio

SENIOR (2016): Provides an athletic threat at tight end and presents a tough matchup for opposing defenses ... a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award ... named to the SEC Community Service Team ... chosen as a first team All-American by Pro Football Focus and a third-team selection by the Associated Press ... earned second team All-SEC honors from both the coaches and the AP ... was one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is given annually to the nation’s best tight end ... selected to the Mackey Preseason and Midseason Watch Lists ... tabbed to the Maxwell, Wuerffel and Lombardi Award Preseason Watch Lists while also being selected as an Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team nominee ... selected as the MVP of the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game thanks to his five catches for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson ... has 37 receptions for 445 yards and two touchdowns ... averages 12.0 yards per catch ... 13 of his receptions have gone for 15 yards or more with 21 catches going for a first down or a touchdown ... chosen as one of the UA coaching staff’s offensive players of the week for his games against Western Kentucky, Kent State, Mississippi State and Chattanooga. USC: Finished second on the team in receptions with three for 39 yards ... had a long catch of 40 yards on a laser from Blake Barnett late in the third quarter ... also provided blocks for the Alabama backs to accumulate 242 yards on the ground. Western Kentucky: Caught a pair of passes for 29 yards with a long of 20 ... helped provide blocks on the edge to allow for the Tide’s 124 yards rushing. Ole Miss: Reeled in two passes for 24 yards against the Rebels ... had a long reception of 16 yards in the game ... helped provide the blocks for the Crimson Tide rushing attack to pile up a season-high 334 yards on the ground. Kent State: Finished his half of play with three catches for a season-long 60 yards including his first touchdown reception of the season ... the score came on a 34-yard strike from Blake Barnett, his long reception for the day. Kentucky: Tallied a pair of catches for 13 yards with a long of 12 against the Wildcats. Arkansas: Caught one pass for 21 yards and a first down against the Razorbacks. Tennessee: Started at tight end, catching one pass for 23 yards ... fought for extra yards after keeping himself up with one arm before being tackled just inches short of the goal line ... provided key blocks for the Tide’s season-leading and Saban-era high 438 yards rushing. Texas A&M: Caught a career-high eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown ... hauled in a long catch of 21 yards and picked up three first downs. LSU: Did an excellent job blocking on the edge against the Tigers as the Tide rushed for 216 yards and a touchdown ... caught one pass. Mississippi State: Five of his six catches went for a first down ... finished with six grabs for 77 yards, with a long play of 30 yards ... earned Offensive Player of the Week honors from the Crimson Tide coaching staff. Chattanooga: Recorded one catch for seven yards and was instrumental in the rushing attack ... earned Alabama Offensive Player of the Week accolades for his efforts against the Mocs. Auburn: Ranked second on the team with five catches for 45 yards, including a long reception of 14 yards ... a reliable option, three of his catches helped the Tide net a first down ... three of his five catches went for first downs. Florida: Hauled in two catches for 41 yards with a long reception of 32 yards ... both of his catches led to the Tide’s second offensive touchdown of the day.

JUNIOR (2015): Gave Alabama a playmaker at the tight end position, providing a mismatch for most defenses in the passing game ... collected 38 catches on the season for 602 yards for a team-high 15.8 yards per catch average ... 24 of his catches converted first downs for the Tide with nine of 20 yards or more ... named one of the UA coaching staff’s offensive players of the game for his performance against Wisconsin in the season opener. Wisconsin: Started the season opener against the Badgers, reeling in three passes for 37 yards with a long reception of 21. Middle Tennessee: Caught a career-best four passes for 68 yards, including a 42-yard gain in the third quarter ... three of his catches converted first downs for the Tide. Ole Miss: Reeled in four catches for 70 yards including a long of 30 on the Tide’s first offensive drive of the game. ULM: Had two catches for eight yards on the day ... also recorded a tackle on the interception return. Georgia: Stayed in to block for the Tide backs on a rainy day in Athens ... helped provide lanes for the Crimson Tide runners to put together 189 yards rushing on the ground, including a career-high 148 yards for junior Derrick Henry. Arkansas: Finished the day with three catches for 17 yards, including a long of seven ... also notched his second tackle of the season, making the stop on a Razorback interception return. Texas A&M: Hauled in three passes for 35 yards with a long reception of 24 ... also helped block for Henry’s career-high 236 yards rushing. Tennessee: Set a career-high mark for receptions with seven totaling 55 yards ... hauled in a long pass of 18 yards. LSU: Registered two catches for 18 yards, both going for first downs ... helped block for the Tide’s 55 rushing attempts and 250 yards rushing, including Henry’s 210 yards on the ground. Mississippi State: Hauled in one catch for 15 yards and a first down ... helped block for Henry’s 204 yards rushing. Charleston Southern: Hauled in one catch for 12 yards in one half of play ... his lone catch converted a first down for the Tide on the team’s second scoring drive of the day. Auburn: Did not record a catch in the Iron Bowl ... helped block on the edge for Henry’s career-high 271 yards rushing. Florida: Helped provide running lanes for Henry’s SEC Championship Game MVP performance. Michigan State: Hauled in three catches, his most since Tennessee, for 59 yards with a long of 41 yards ... all three receptions resulted in a first down for the Crimson Tide. Clemson: Earned Offensive MVP honors for his career day against the Tigers ... finished with five catches for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns ... all five catches converted first downs while going for at least 15 yards ... hauled in a career-long 63 yard reception before being pushed out of bounds late in the fourth quarter ... his 208 yards were the most in a bowl game by any single player in Alabama history and were the most by any player in a national championship game. 

SOPHOMORE (2014): A potent weapon at tight end for the Crimson Tide ... started three games and saw action in all 14 contests ... had 17 catches on the season for 260 yards and nine first downs ... averaged 15.3 yards per catch with six explosive receptions of 16 yards or more ... added three tackles. Florida: Made his first two catches of the season against the Gators ... accounted for 22 receiving yards and converted one first down. Ole Miss: Turned in his most productive game of the season against the Rebels ... caught three passes for 81 yards, averaging 27.0 yards per catch ... converted two first downs ... hauled in a long catch of 53 yards. Arkansas: Turned a short pass play into a 47-yard gain in Fayetteville for a first down and his only catch of the game. LSU: Was instrumental in the game-tying drive in regulation with two receptions for 12 yards, getting out of bounds both times to stop the clock ... finished with three catches for 21 yards ... hauled in a nine-yard reception for a first down earlier in the game. Mississippi State: Caught one pass for two yards in the Tide’s 25-20 win over the Bulldogs. Western Carolina: Pulled in a 26-yard reception and finished with two grabs for 33 yards ... both catches converted first downs for the Crimson Tide. Auburn: Made one reception for 20 yards and an Alabama first down. Missouri: Caught two passes for 20 yards including an explosive play of 17 yards that converted an Alabama first down. Ohio State: Caught two passes for 14 yards. 

FRESHMAN (2013): A true freshman who steadily gained knowledge and experience at tight end … played in all 13 games, with five starts … caught 14 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns … 13 of his 14 receptions converted first downs for Alabama, with eight going for 15 or more yards … averaged a team-best 19.2 yards per catch from his tight end spot. Virginia Tech: Received his first action in the crimson and white … did not have a catch but was targeted in the passing game. Texas A&M: Started and came up big in College Station with three catches for 68 yards … caught passes for 27, 26 and 15 yards against the Aggies, all converting first downs. Colorado State: Added three more receptions for 38 yards, with a long of 23. Ole Miss: Started his second game of the year but did not have a reception. Georgia State: Started and caught one pass for 13 yards and a first down. Kentucky: Came off the bench to catch two passes for 37 yards, including a long of 25 yards. Arkansas: Caught his first career touchdown on a 17-yard reception from AJ McCarron in the 52-0 win over the Hogs. LSU: Caught a crossing route for his only catch of the game and raced 52 yards, outrunning the LSU defense for a touchdown. Mississippi State: Pulled in one pass for 21 yards in the Tide’s win. Chattanooga: Made his fifth start of the season but did not have a reception. Auburn: Caught two passes for 23 yards … his 11- and 12-yard receptions both converted first downs. 

HIGH SCHOOL: Came to Alabama as the top tight end prospect in the class of 2013 … participated in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game … arrived at Alabama as an early enrollee in January of 2013 … was a  five-star prospect and the No. 7 prospect nationally in the Rivals100 … was the outlet’s top-ranked tight end and No. 2 player in Alabama … 247Sports ranked Howard 20th in its Top247 with five stars while listing him as the No. 1 tight end and the No. 2 player in the state … the 247Composite listed him 14th nationally … No. 14 in the Scout300 and Scout.com’s top-ranked tight end … was ranked 45th in the ESPN150, the No. 2 tight end and No. 24 in the southeast region by ESPN … Sporting News’ No. 32 player in the nation … rated eighth nationally by MaxPreps (Tom Lemming) and the No. 1 tight end … was the No. 13 player nationally by PrepStar, the publication’s No. 1 tight end and a member of the PrepStar Dream Team… was a three-time first-team AISA All-State selection … missed part of his senior year due to injury, but amassed 854 yards of total offense and 12 touchdowns … accounted for 57 tackles on the defensive side of the ball in 2012 … named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12 team … AISA 2012 Lineman of the Year … as a junior in 2011 had 11 receiving touchdowns, eight rushing scores and also threw for three TDs … caught 41 passes for 926 yards while rushing for 487 yards … had 89 tackles with eight sacks and three forced fumbles on defense … as a sophomore in 2010, set the school record with 31 total touchdowns while also breaking the school’s receiving records … named the team’s defensive MVP after making 89 tackles with six interceptions and four sacks … coached by Chris Honeycutt at Autauga Academy … chose Alabama over Florida, USC and Auburn.