The University of Alabama isn't short on tight ends, but it only has one Brandon Greene. There's no one else with his size and skills on the roster. There's not another one in the 2017 recruiting class to follow when Greene graduates after this season.

Most teams just don't have tight ends listed at nearly 300 pounds.

"Yeah, I feel like that's unique," Greene said. "That's why I'm always grateful for my role. For Coach Saban to put me in that role, that's an honor, man. I feel unique in that aspect."

Greene is among the biggest players at his position in the country. Mississippi State's Jordan Thomas is listed at the same size as Greene (6-5, 295 pounds), but there's no tight end in the SEC bigger than Greene.

He’s Alabama’s tight end equivalent of heavy construction equipment. Even though he only has one career catch, a 24-yard reception in overtime against LSU in 2014, he’s an important piece to the Crimson Tide offense.

“To have a guy like that at that position certainly creates a lot of problems because he's a mismatch player in the C (gap) area,” head coach Nick Saban said. “I know he gives us some problems in practice when he's in there and he's blocking outside backers.”

His blocking proficiency led him to step in for a start at right tackle last year against Arkansas. Greene started his career at Alabama as an offensive tackle before making the move to tight end at Saban’s suggestion during the start of the 2013 season. Depth issues on the offensive line had him bouncing back and forth between offensive line and tight end last season as necessary. But after the season was over, coaches made it clear he would be a full-time tight end in 2016.

He’d never played tight end before making the move during 2013. He was a highly-ranked offensive tackle in high school. After redshirting in 2012, Greene jumped at the chance when the position change was brought up. It put him on the field right away.

"It was exciting because Coach Saban had asked me, came up to me personally and asked me,” he said. “It was just a great experience, man, being able to get on the field early and exerpeince a lot, learn a lot. A lot of times I played next to O.J. (Howard), or me and O.J. played next to Cyrus Kouandijo at the time. So it was cool.”

Depth at tackle is better this fall, and Greene won’t have to worry about alternating between positions. Keeping Greene at tight end also helps depth there. Saban said he feels better about tight end overall this season, too. Sophomore Hale Hentges played last year at tight end and H-back, and there are two freshmen at the position as well.

Greene will find his way on the field even with other players at tight end. He’s too good a blocker to stay on the sidelines. He feels like he might even be able to chip in with a couple catches. Saban thinks so, too.

“The guy is very athletic,” Saban said. “Even though he's not real fast, he's got really good hands. He's somebody you can throw the ball to and he can be hard to tackle.”

Reach Ben Jones at ben@tidesports.com or 205-722-0196.