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O.J. Howard's statistics won't blow you away.
He has a modest 13 catches for 183 yards and no touchdowns through five games this season. In his last two games, he's had a combined two catches for eight yards.
Howard's impact goes far beyond catches and statistics, though.
In fact, the non-receiving work has been his best this year for Alabama. It's a big reason he is the second-best tight end in the country, according to Pro Football Focus' grading system. He has a +9.1 run block grade that is exceptional for a tight end that isn't on the field solely to block. Pro Football Focus called him the best "dual-threat tight end in the nation."
"He's a great run blocker, one of the two or three best run blockers in college," said Matt Miller, the lead NFL Draft writer for Bleacher Report.