Senior Bowl recognition just a sign of things to come for Alabama’s Howard and Tomlinson
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It’s hard to spend several years at a program like Alabama and not become a star.
O.J. Howard and Dalvin Tomlinson aren’t unfamiliar to those who pay attention to SEC football, but they are players who could breakout in the NFL. Due to the brand of football at Alabama, Howard wasn’t featured heavily on offense and Tomlinson was relatively overlooked compared to the Tide’s other defensive stars.
At this week’s Senior Bowl, however, the two former Alabama players made their presence known. Howard was named the top practice player of the week, while Tomlinson was also recognized for his performance.
Alabama TE O.J. Howard named the top practice player for the week @seniorbowl. Here are the other players recognized: pic.twitter.com/RlTWBZi8tZ
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) January 27, 2017
Howard, in particular, could present major matchup problems at the next level. The tight end is similar to the likes of Greg Olsen or Jimmy Graham, both of whom are among the best pass-catching tight ends at the next level.
In big games, Howard made his presence felt. In Alabama’s last two national championship games, Howard caught nine passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns.
Tomlinson is a versatile and consistent defensive lineman, something NFL coaches look for. He came on strong in his senior season with 62 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Tomlinson can play multiple positions on the line, and he should respond to the challenge of being one of the better players on any team’s defensive front.
