LOS ANGELES — Josh Cuevas stepped foot in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the sun raging down familiarly, but the close-to-100% sweltering humidity turned into second thoughts in the Atwater Village native’s head.
“I was like, ‘What am I doing here?’” Cuevas said.
Not once in Cuevas’ career has he not been all-in, full steam ahead. Cuevas wiped away the insecurities of humidity and started anew – Tuscaloosa was now his home, and the southern hospitality was genuine from the start, the 22-year-old tight end told the Southern California News Group on Tuesday morning.
“People love you,” he said. “You play football at Alabama, they’re going to love you either way.”
Five years after being a standout at Studio City’s Campbell Hall High – which shuttered its football program after the 2023 high school season – and three years after transferring from Cal Poly to Washington to play for now-Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer, Cuevas is at the heart of No. 9 seed Alabama’s offense ahead of its College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Indiana (13-0) on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl.
To call Cuevas’ route to Alabama (11-3) a journey would be an understatement. With Cuevas being lightly recruited, then-Campbell Hall coach Dennis Keyes worked the phones for Cuevas during the COVID-shortened four-game season, trying to find a landing spot for his blossoming college recruit.
“There were not many opportunities for coaches to come out and see me,” Cuevas said. “And (Keyes) was my biggest advocate through it all.”
Cuevas said Keyes helped him land at Cal Poly, in the Big Sky Conference at the FCS subdivision level. And there began his rise.
During his redshirt freshman season, Cuevas turned loose and recorded 663 receiving yards and six touchdowns – launching him onto Washington’s radar. Cuevas played in all 15 games for the Huskies in 2023 on their way to the College Football Playoff championship game, primarily appearing on special teams. When DeBoer departed for Alabama, the 6-foot-3, 256-pounder couldn’t see himself in Seattle anymore.
Then came a call from then-Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, who had been Cuevas’ tight ends coach at Washington. Sheridan told him that Alabama was searching for one more tight end. Cuevas fit the bill. Two years later, as a redshirt senior, Cuevas had waited his turn – playing behind CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts in 2024 – and his grind paid dividends.
Cuevas has recorded 376 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns across the 2025 season as first-string tight end, and began the season on the Mackey Award watch list honoring the top tight end in the country. He recently accepted an invitation to play in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl on Jan. 31 in Mobile, Alabama.
After missing Alabama’s final two regular-season games and the SEC Championship due to injury, the kid who once played in North Hollywood is full-go for the Rose Bowl, DeBoer said.
“He’s an in-the-moment guy,” DeBoer said. “He doesn’t shy away from the competition. He doesn’t shy away from any of the pressure that comes being here at Alabama or being in big games. He embraces it and he’s got a great future.”
Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard, also a Washington transfer, added: “Josh has definitely earned it. He deserves everything he’s getting.”
Cuevas, who is Mexican-American, said he’ll have plenty of family in the stands come Thursday. Being just 15 miles from home and having only seven allocated tickets to him, Cuevas joked that his mom will figure out family ticketing logistics, while he’ll remain focused on football at hand.
If Cuevas and the Crimson Tide make the national title game, however, one ticket already has a guaranteed recipient – the coach that started his rollercoaster ride to the Rose Bowl and recently took over at Bishop Alemany High in Mission Hills.
“I wouldn’t be here without him – a tribute to him,” Cuevas said of Keyes. “Nobody would have ever thought somebody would make it out of (Campbell Hall) and into a program this big.”
And if the Campbell Hall alumnus has any say, he believes he’s reason enough to bring football back to the table.
Otherwise, Cuevas, who ranks No. 9 on ESPN guru Mel Kiper’s top tight ends for April’s NFL draft, could go down as the last pro player to represent his small private school.
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