Cliffs Notes: The Longhorns picked up a potential tight end piece that could help replace the production lost by NFL bound Ja'Tavion Sanders with the addition of Alabama tight end transfer Amari Niblack, who announced that he is joining the Longhorns after entering the Portal this week.
Rankings: Here's the industry breakdown...
Rivals: No.41 overall nationally, No.1 overall tight end
On3: No.78 overall nationally, No.5 overall tight end
247: No.28 overall nationally, No.1 overall tight end
Former High School Rankings (Class of 2022)
Rivals: (5.9) Mid four-star, No.95 overall nationally, No.18 wide receiver
On3: (98) 5 stars, No.27 overall nationally, No.1 tight end
247: (95) Mid four-star, No.99 overall nationally, No.4 athlete
ESPN: (80) Low four-star, No.28 overall nationally, No.8 tight end
Resume: Recorded 20 receptions for 327 yards and four scores in 14 games of action in 2023, including four starts ... selected as one of the offensive players of the week for his efforts at Mississippi State and against Arkansas. Made 5 career starts in two seasons for the Tide.
Evaluation: It's kind of funny that there were split opinions on whether he was a wide receiver or tight end when he was a prospect because as he enters his third season in college, there's still debate about whether he's a tight end or really just a big wide receiver. At Alabama, he was almost exclusively as a big wide receiver while lining up as an inline player, which is kind of wild because it goes against what we tend to think of with a player playing in that position. Niblack is a plus-athlete at 6-4, 233 pounds and is a playmaking threat down the field, as evidenced by the 16+ yards per catch that he averaged in 2023. In fact, he's athletic enough that he was a threat to be used on jet sweeps within the Tide offense. If there's a worry in the passing game, it's that his career drop percentage with the Tide was 12.5%, which is alarmingly high, Blocking is not a strength.
2023 Receiving Depths (Via PFF)
Why it matters: This isn't a like for like swap from Sanders in 2023 at the tight end position, but it's probably the closest thing the Longhorns are going to get, especially when you consider that he caught more touchdowns than Sanders and averaged more yards per catch, despite playing with a quarterback that is still learning to function in the pocket as a player. HIs playmaking in the passing game has made him the consensus No.1 tight end available in the Portal and with two seasons of eligibility remaining, he could end up being a critical player for both Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.
Expectations: There's a lot of mouths to feed in the Texas passing game, so it remains to be seen just how much of an impact he'll make in the passing game, but his stats from last season feel like a minimum baseline set of expectations going into year one. Is he a game one starter? It's very possible.
2023 Highlights: One of these plays will be very familiar to you.
Rankings: Here's the industry breakdown...
Rivals: No.41 overall nationally, No.1 overall tight end
On3: No.78 overall nationally, No.5 overall tight end
247: No.28 overall nationally, No.1 overall tight end
Former High School Rankings (Class of 2022)
Rivals: (5.9) Mid four-star, No.95 overall nationally, No.18 wide receiver
On3: (98) 5 stars, No.27 overall nationally, No.1 tight end
247: (95) Mid four-star, No.99 overall nationally, No.4 athlete
ESPN: (80) Low four-star, No.28 overall nationally, No.8 tight end
Resume: Recorded 20 receptions for 327 yards and four scores in 14 games of action in 2023, including four starts ... selected as one of the offensive players of the week for his efforts at Mississippi State and against Arkansas. Made 5 career starts in two seasons for the Tide.
Evaluation: It's kind of funny that there were split opinions on whether he was a wide receiver or tight end when he was a prospect because as he enters his third season in college, there's still debate about whether he's a tight end or really just a big wide receiver. At Alabama, he was almost exclusively as a big wide receiver while lining up as an inline player, which is kind of wild because it goes against what we tend to think of with a player playing in that position. Niblack is a plus-athlete at 6-4, 233 pounds and is a playmaking threat down the field, as evidenced by the 16+ yards per catch that he averaged in 2023. In fact, he's athletic enough that he was a threat to be used on jet sweeps within the Tide offense. If there's a worry in the passing game, it's that his career drop percentage with the Tide was 12.5%, which is alarmingly high, Blocking is not a strength.
2023 Receiving Depths (Via PFF)
Why it matters: This isn't a like for like swap from Sanders in 2023 at the tight end position, but it's probably the closest thing the Longhorns are going to get, especially when you consider that he caught more touchdowns than Sanders and averaged more yards per catch, despite playing with a quarterback that is still learning to function in the pocket as a player. HIs playmaking in the passing game has made him the consensus No.1 tight end available in the Portal and with two seasons of eligibility remaining, he could end up being a critical player for both Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.
Expectations: There's a lot of mouths to feed in the Texas passing game, so it remains to be seen just how much of an impact he'll make in the passing game, but his stats from last season feel like a minimum baseline set of expectations going into year one. Is he a game one starter? It's very possible.
2023 Highlights: One of these plays will be very familiar to you.
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