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Get Scouted Scouting CareersIn the biggest football game of his life Monday night, former National Scouting Report prospect O.J. Howard transformed from underused offensive talent to MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Now, after catching five passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns in Alabama’s 45-40 victory over Clemson, the junior tight end must make the biggest decision of his life: apply for early NFL draft entry or return to the University of Alabama for his senior season.
What a difference a game makes.
Howard, a three-time, first-team All-State performer at Autauga Academy in Prattville, Ala., and his parents sat down Wednesday with Alabama coach Nick Saban to discuss the future. Howard has until Monday to enter the draft.
“I don’t think [making a decision] will be hard at all once I sit down with coach Saban and my family,” Howard told reporters Tuesday during a postgame press conference. “Coach helps us make the right decision. He’s always done that for me since I’ve been at the university. … At the end of the day, I’ll sit down with coach and we’ll make the right decision.”
The decision could boil down to feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board. If the board gave Howard a first-round grade, Saban likely will advise him to turn pro.
“We try to emphasize with our players that if you’re a first-round draft pick, the business decision is you should go out for the draft,” Saban said during Tuesday’s press conference. “If you’re in a position in the draft where you can enhance your value by staying in college, then maybe you shouldn’t go out for the draft.”
Saban acknowledged that Howard, who entered the championship game with just 33 catches for 394 yards and no touchdowns, was underutilized this season.
“O.J., quite honestly, should have been more involved all year long,” Saban said. “Sometimes he was open and we didn’t get him the ball, but I think the last two games have been breakout games for him in terms of what he’s capable of and what he can do. I would say it’s bad coaching on my part that he didn’t have the opportunity to do that all year long, because he is really a good athlete, and he’s improved tremendously as a player this year.”
Knowing he likely would be a bigger part of the offense next season, Howard might choose to return to Alabama to help the Crimson Tide seek an unprecedented fifth national title in eight years.
“You know, it makes me think about coming back and making plays next season for Coach,” Howard said. “It’ll get me more involved in the offense.”
Howard had not caught a touchdown pass since his freshman season and had not caught any passes in the two games prior to the Cotton Bowl. He had three receptions for 59 yards, including an impressive 41-yarder, in the 38-0 shutout of Michigan State. That set the stage for the championship game in which he caught touchdown passes of 53 and 51 yards and another pass for 63 yards.
“We were resting him,” Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin quipped after the game. “… O.J.’s legs were really fresh so we decided to pull him out and use him.”
Howard could have become very frustrated by his lack of opportunities, Kiffin said, but instead showed a lot of patience.
“It’s such a good story,” Kiffin said. “He never complained about anything. There were games when he wasn’t catching the ball at all. He just kept working hard, he made huge plays today and I’m very happy for him.”
Howard said he always put his team first.
“You can’t get frustrated when you’re not getting the ball,” he said. “I know how that works; you get frustrated you start messing up plays and then you’re getting other guys hurt. If you’re missing a block, you’re definitely not going to get the ball if you’re pouting about it. You’ve just got to be a good team player and play hard every down, so that’s what I continued to do.”
Now Howard may put himself first.
“He’s got a big decision to make whether he comes back or not,” Kiffin said. “Obviously, we hope he comes back, but we’ll support him if he doesn’t and he’ll have a great future either here or at the next level.”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.