Texas football continues to benefit from the massive departure from the Alabama Crimson Tide via the NCAA Transfer Portal earlier this summer. On January 18, Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian announced their third portal commitment among former Alabama players, sophomore tight end Amari Niblack.
Niblack, sophomore outstanding wide receiver Isaiah Bond, and junior linebacker Kendrick Blackshire are among the Longhorns’ transfers from Alabama after the departure of famed head coach Nick Saban.
On the night of January 18, Niblack revealed his devotion to Texas via the social media outlet. He committed to Texas during his multi-day visit to Austin, which began on the afternoon of January 18.
Texas football gains NFL-caliber tight end with Alabama transfer. Amari Niblack
He is Sarkisian’s and the Longhorns’ fifth transfer pledge this portal cycle. Niblack is part of Sarkisian’s enormous reload through the portal in the receiving corps in 2024. Texas has signed three instant impact transfer wideouts this summer, including the aforementioned Bond.
Niblack and Bond now join former Oregon State Beavers redshirt junior slot receiver Silas Bolden and Houston Cougars sophomore wide out Matthew Golden as significant portal additions to refill the receiving corps entering the SEC this season.
Niblack emerged as one of the SEC’s greatest receiving tight ends during his sophomore season in 2023. Last season, he set a career high with 21 receptions for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
Sarkisian has another diverse weapon in Niblack, allowing him to expand his repertoire through the air and even on the ground, with Niblack at tight end. Texas can run a variety of plays/formations with two tight end settings on offense while also having the flexibility to move Niblack out to line up as a genuine wideout threat in the receiving game.
Niblack provides the Longhorns with a plausible successor for All-Big 12 junior Ja’Tavion Sanders, who is set to enter the NFL Draft this spring, as their top receiving tight end threat.
Last season at Alabama, Niblack lined up outside or in the slot on more than half of his pass play plays, with the remainder coming from an in-line tight end position. Niblack can fill the position of Sanders, who was typically the tight end that Sarkisian lined up out wide or in the slot (approximately 37% of his pass play plays the previous two seasons).
Niblack’s blocking skill is one of his most promising contributions to the attack. Niblack is actually a better blocking tight end than Sanders. Last season, he had a higher pass-blocking grade than Sanders. Niblack botched just one block in 125 offensive blocking snaps, whereas Sanders blew nine blocks in just over 400 blocking snaps.
Texas will have two solid blocking tight ends to use on offense in Niblack and rising senior Gunnar Helm, both of whom can threaten defenses in different ways while running routes.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Niblack creates a mismatch against opposing safeties and linebackers in coverage, which Sarkisian may exploit in the passing game with Sanders at tight end. Quinn Ewers, a rising redshirt junior quarterback, will have another weapon to work with next season.
Niblack has the huge physique and enormous grab radius that Ewers naturally connects with in the passing game, comparable to his relationship with Sanders and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell last season.
Niblack, Ewers’ easy-to-find downfield playmaker, will make his job simpler against SEC defenders this season.
