A unanimous five-star recruit out of Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha, Wisconsin and the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Latham committed to Alabama and saw action as a right guard right away. He moved to right tackle in the 2022 season, allowing no sacks and 12 total pressures in 517 pass-blocking reps, with knockdown blocks all over the place. Latham’s final college season of 2023 saw him giving up two sacks and 14 total pressures in 443 pass-blocking snaps, with power blocking as the order of the day.
With Latham, you have to know what you’re getting, and what needs development. If you’re in the market for a pure demolition expert at right tackle or right guard, he could be your man. If you prefer more quick and athletic blockers who will mirror speed rushers through the rep? That’s a different story. Latham worked to increase his weight and lower his body fat at Alabama; I might think about reducing the weight to help make him more immediately responsive off the snap. Latham just turned 21 on February 8, so the developmental curve is understandable.
PLUSES
— 6′ 5¾”, 342-pound frame allows Latham to latch onto defenders and push them right off the screen; once Latham has you on the track and moving, you’re in huge trouble.
— Has the capability to chip at the line and head to the second level with target accuracy.
— Will seal the edge quickly in the run game, and once he’s sealed it, you’re not going to get through him.
— Has an anchor of concrete and fires out like a jackhammer when his technique is together. Extremely physically imposing blocker.
— Has experience at right guard (135 snaps in 2021), so there’s positional versatility there.
MINUSES
— Can be late to the party on stunts and games; he’ll fixate on his first target and recovery can be difficult.
— Slower kick-step leaves him vulnerable to quicker rushers off the snap, and he’ll need to be faster to deal with inside counters.
— Could stand to be more aggressive with his hands; he’ll allow leakage to either side because he needs to get his hands up and into the rusher’s numbers more quickly.
— Allows defenders to cross his face far too easily; slow response time exacerbates this issue.
Right now, Latham is a “see it and hit it” blocker with the potential to be a highly credible power-mover in the run game. Where he’ll need work (possibly a lot of work) in the NFL is in his ability to naturally and seamlessly respond to speed moves and schemed-up pressure concepts. As schemed-up pressure concepts become more common and varied at the next level, that might give evaluators pause if he sticks to the tackle position.
JC Latham, OT, Alabama
PLUSES
— 6' 5¾", 342-pound frame allows Latham to latch onto defenders and push them right off the screen; once Latham has you on the track and moving, you're in huge trouble.
— Has the capability to chip at the line and head to the second level with… pic.twitter.com/8l2nZ6FvYh
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 4, 2024
