O.J. Howard, Buccaneers Agree on 4-Year Rookie Contract

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to terms with first-round pick O.J. Howard on a four-year rookie contract, the team announced Monday, per Scott Smith of the Bucs' official site.

Howard was the No. 19 pick of the draft, giving the Buccaneers excellent value for a player rated by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller as No. 7 overall in the class. Miller referred to his top player at the position as a "can't-miss tight end prospect."

The Buccaneers clearly think highly of him as well.

"He's a winner, he's a great kid and he can do everything we need a tight end to do," head coach Dirk Koetter said, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com.

Howard didn't produce huge numbers at Alabama. He scored just seven touchdowns in his four-year career, with his best season featuring just 602 receiving yards. But he saved his best for big moments. He totaled 208 yards and two touchdowns in the national championship win in his junior year before adding 106 yards and a score in the loss to Clemson in the same game the next season.

In both title games, he showed his speed and athleticism to break away from defenders and turn small plays into long touchdowns.  

Unlike other modern tight ends, Howard is also more than just a big receiver. The 6'6", 251-pound prospect is an in-line player who can block as well as anyone at the position, making him an impact player on both run and pass plays.

With as much upside as anyone in the class, the Buccaneers are surely excited to see what he can do as a rookie now that his contract is set.