Among the players Alabama lost to the NFL last year, fullback Jalston Fowler doesn’t receive the most attention, but he could be the most difficult for head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin to replace.

Just glancing at his stats wouldn’t lead one to believe Fowler, now a rookie with the Tennessee Titans, was irreplaceable. He carried the ball 12 times for 69 yards and had 11 catches for 129, but at 5-foot-11, 254 pounds he offered a versatility that came in handy in some short-yardage situations. He will be hard to replicate this season as Fowler was able to play both the traditional fullback role as well as the H-back in Kiffin’s offense.

Running back Kenyan Drake, whose season ended early with a broken leg last year, isn’t a true fullback, but in some ways he might be able to replace Fowler as a receiving threat out of the backfield. Drake is such a good pass catcher he’s even worked out some at slot receiver this preseason.

Former wal-on Michael Nysewander might wind up No. 1 on the depth chart at fullback after not having a carry in 2014 and catching two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-1, 237-pound senior played in eight games last year and contributed on special teams. He might be the Crimson Tide’s best option for a blocking back.

But it looks as though the main replacement for Fowler could come from a tight end playing the H-back role. O.J. Howard made 17 catches for 260 yards last year and could be the No. 1 choice at H-back, but others will push for playing time.

Nysewander might also see some snaps at H-back. But Ty Flournoy-Smith, whose was once a Georgia recruit, but wound up at Alabama out of junior college, has an opportunity to push Howard for the top spot in that role after playing in four games with two catches in 2014. Freshman Hale Hentges could also get some reps.

Whichever way Alabama goes, the Tide won’t have as experienced an option as it did with Fowler, who excelled in his limited opportunities for two years and now looks like a good bet to make the Titans roster after being picked in the fourth round of the NFL draft.

There’s talent there. Flournoy-Smith, for instance, was the No. 1 junior college tight end in the country when he arrived in Tuscaloosa, but the group lacks experience. While Fowler was one man who was reliable in multiple roles for the Crimson Tide the last two seasons, there’s a good chance it will take a committee to replace him in 2015