Marshall Pritchett is making his case in Alabama’s tight end room, and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb says the sophomore has turned himself into “a more complete player” during fall camp.
That progress matters because Alabama wants more from the 6-foot-5, 246-pound tight end than just flashes in the passing game. The staff sees him as someone who can catch the ball and hold up as a blocker, and Grubb pointed to that two-way growth when he spoke with reporters on Tuesday.
“It starts with Marshall Pritchett,” Grubb said. “He’s stepped up as a blocker.
He’s become a more complete player in that regard where I think he was viewed as a guy going into spring and summer, like line of scrimmage, is this guy gonna be able to get it done? And so, he took that part really seriously.
I think he got a lot better at it, but the playmaker part in Marshall is he’s a weapon out there. He can truly block and then expand the outside, getting a mismatch on a safety and really play ball.
So, I think from his standpoint, he’s doing a great job.”
Pritchett’s development comes after a freshman season in which he played on special teams in all 15 games and caught seven passes for 57 yards. He’s now trying to carve out a bigger role in Alabama’s offense, where the tight end group has been one of the brighter spots of camp, according to Grubb.
There’s also some confidence around his hands. At Alabama football’s media day, sophomore wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks called Pritchett one of the best pass catchers on the team and said he does a strong job on contested catches.
For Alabama, the blocking piece may be just as important as the receiving upside. The Crimson Tide have several tight ends working to earn snaps in the passing game, but the ability to help in the run game could be what separates Pritchett from the pack.
Alabama opens the season at home against East Carolina.
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