2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: JC Latham (OT – Alabama)

With being more than halfway through the College Football season, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at JC Latham.

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2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: JC Latham (OT – Alabama)

JC Latham (OT – Alabama)

6-foot-6 | 335 pounds

Background:

Five-star recruit who played 142 snaps in his freshman season, almost all as a right guard, then took over the team’s starting right tackle job the following year, not allowing a sack over thirteen starts. Reprised the role this season.

Positives:

Massive right tackle with an exceptional combination of size and bulk and two years of starting experience at a major program. Highly effective phone-booth mauler in the run game, firing out with a low pad level and possessing plenty of functional strength. Can collapse the edge when he gets an opponent’s outside shoulder. Tough guy who grinds down opponents when locked on and is a capable finisher in the run game. Generates a lot of torque with his upper body to sling down defenders.

Overall effort level through the snap is very good. Works hard to climb and engage in gap concepts. Strong enough to win ugly when his positioning isn’t perfect and will sell out to disrupt opponents. Pass-protects with solid knee-bend and a wide base, showing better flexibility than usual for his size. Avoids oversetting and giving up easy wins on the inside. Drops an early anchor against power and is nearly impossible to bull-rush. Active hands to reset, with good placement overall. Keeps his head on a swivel and seeks out extra work. Shows impressive discipline when handling spin moves.

Negatives:

Has had some issues with penalties; flagged twelve times in 2022 (one declined/offset.) Some tendency to lower his head into contact and lunge with too many ugly snaps. Pass sets can look lumbering at times when he has to cover a lot of space. Doesn’t get a ton of depth in his kickslide and may struggle on an island against speed. Lateral quickness is above average for his size but closer to average overall. Could be more active with his punch, relies on his lower-body strength, and can be a catch-and-ride type of player. Can occasionally be caught leaning on opponents, letting his feet go dead on contact.

Summary:

Was viewed as a potential first-round pick heading into the season and still has a enough rare combination of size and strength to end up there, but his case would have been stronger with a season at left tackle. At this point, looks more like a gap-scheme right tackle or possibly even guard, which would highlight his strengths in a phone booth and mask his lack of ideal lateral quickness to protect the edge in the passing game.

Grade: Round 2