Nick Saban says Amari Niblack can be 'an impact player for us'

As Alabama continues on through fall camp, the question of which offensive players will be able to make life easier on whoever wins the quarterback battle looms large. Tight end Amari Niblack might just be one answer.

The talented tight end who was a top-100 recruit in 2022 is emerging in fall camp.

“He’s doing great,” coach Nick Saban said on Tuesday. “He’s gotten bigger, he’s gotten stronger, he understands the offense a lot better. He is a mismatch player to some degree in the passing game and he’s done a good job. He was very productive in the first scrimmage. And he is blocking better.”

Amari Niblack played in 10 games a year ago but managed to record just one 15-yard touchdown catch. He was used more as a blocker and on special teams than anything else.

That should change this fall, certainly if you believe what Saban is saying about him.

“I think that he can be an impact player for us if he continues to grow and progress,” Saban said. “We’re excited about his future.”

Amari Niblack was a four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, ranked as the No. 89 overall player in the country. He was the No. 3 tight end in his class and the No. 14 overall player from the state of Florida, hailing from Clearwater (Fla.) Lakewood.

Alabama’s quarterback battle remains ongoing

While Amari Niblack is doing what he can to earn his spot on the field this fall for the Crimson Tide, three quarterbacks are battling to do the same.

So far it’s not very clear who might be leading in the Alabama quarterback battle.

Meanwhile, Saban was blunt about what he wants to see from the quarterback competition going forward.

“What I tell the quarterbacks is it’s not up to the coaches,” Saban said. “You’re looking over your shoulder to see if a coach is going to do this or that? How be you forcing me to play you? Force us to play you. When you get your reps in, you get a chance to play, you play so good we don’t have any chance but to play you rather than worrying about all this other stuff.”

Alabama will begin its season on Sept. 2 against MTSU.