Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb understand the importance of the tight end position.

Alabama’s tight end room is one of the more interesting position groups on the roster. It looks like a quality collection of talent on paper, but we’re still waiting to see how it all comes together after the Crimson Tide lost far-and-away their top two options from a season ago.

Last year, CJ Dippre led the group. He had the most snaps (509) by a wide margin while starting all 13 games. Alabama used a lot of 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) though, which is why Robbie Ouzts also started over half of the games while adding 304 snaps of his own.

Those guys are now gone, leaving Josh Cuevas as the only tight end with significant experience. After playing close to 700 snaps in two seasons for Cal Poly a couple of years ago, he’s now combined for 378 snaps since getting to the Division I level. Of those, 234 came at Alabama in 2024. He also finished second amongst the tight ends in targets this past season with 16 (Dippre totaled 29).

You’ve also got Danny Lewis back, who’s played 165 snaps in his three-year career while getting a start against Texas in 2023. He’s still really green though, and with the Louisiana native having to miss the spring while recovering from an injury, Alabama’s coaching staff elected to bring in two transfers from the portal in Brody Dalton (Troy) and Jack Sammarco (West Virginia).