JC Latham Draft Profile | Alabama, OT Scouting Report

It’s no secret that the 2024 NFL Draft offensive tackle class is loaded, but where does the scouting report of Alabama’s JC Latham land him within this group? Latham has a lot of quality talent to contend with, but he might be one of the most imposing players among the ranks.

JC Latham Draft Profile and Measurements

• Height: 6’6″
• Weight: 360 pounds
• Position: Offensive Tackle
• School: Alabama
• Current Year: Junior

Some prospects have winding and unpredictable paths to the NFL Draft circuit. Latham is not one of those prospects.

Latham was a five-star recruit and the top tackle in the 2021 class. He was a full-time starter at right tackle by his true sophomore season. And after the 2023 campaign, he earned first-team All-SEC honors.

MORE: FREE Mock Draft Simulator With Trades

Right on schedule, Latham is eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft. And as many expected, he’s in line to be not just a first-round pick but an early first-round pick.

At just 21 years old, Latham has the pedigree and the production against SEC competition. As his report details, his profile is just as impactful at the professional level.

Latham’s Scouting Report

Strengths

• Massive specimen with a rare mix of overarching frame density, length, and width.
• Explodes off the snap with violent energy, surging into contact with powerful lower half.
• Boasts elite explosive capacity, as well as swift lateral mobility and high-energy motion.
• Possesses elite power capacity, plowing defenders out of the frame as a run blocker.
• Can use his length and mass to supplement power through applied torque and rotation.
• Has a dominating anchor once he latches onto rushers, stalling out power with his base.
• Has very natural knee bend and leverage acquisition in pass protection for his size.
• Patient, disciplined, and synergetic pass protector with an excellent sense of timing.

• Plays with a steady center of gravity and consistently aligns his base effectively.
• Has enough hip flexibility to swivel around in recovery and envelop with his frame.
• Pass sets are incredibly clean and consistent, quick and controlled with footwork tempo.
• Knows how to modulate his footwork and angle his base to seal off rushing paths.
• Re-loads and re-exerts with lashing quickness, carrying damaging knockback in hands.
• Alert blocker with great angle IQ, stunt awareness, and reaction speed to counters.
• With aggressive, adversarial mentality, exudes hostility toward defenders through reps.

Weaknesses

• Can be a bit lumbering at times when opening his strides moving in space.
• Can’t always fully rotate and flip his hips to seal out second-level defenders in space.
• Occasionally over-extends and lurches beyond his center of gravity attacking upfield.
• Doesn’t always bring his feet with him on run blocks, which can also cause him to lurch.
• Can be baited into setting too far vertically and opening his torso to opposing power.
• Sometimes drifts too far vertically with his set angle, allowing lanes for inside counters.
• Can be worked off-balance by rushers who tug at his anchor and stress laterally.
• Sometimes bearhugs opponents when forced to recover, creating penalty risk.
• Motor occasionally fades out in space at the second level.

Current Draft Projection and Summary

Latham grades out as a blue-chip prospect and a top-10 talent in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He’s worth early first-round capital, and especially for teams in need of a natural right tackle with dual-sided pass and run-blocking appeal, he makes a lot of sense.

MORE: When Is the 2024 NFL Draft?

As crazy as it may seem, Latham could still be the third-best OT in the 2024 class, even with his blue-chip grade. Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Penn State’s Olu Fashanu are just as good — but Latham provides a unique kind of upside with his elite explosiveness, power, and road-grading ability in the run game.

There isn’t a tackle in the stacked 2024 class who can generate the kind of push and displacement that Latham can, both with his power drive and his rotational torque. Not only is Latham extremely explosive and forceful, but he’s also incredibly well-leveraged. For a 6’6″ blocker, he’s extremely natural at reaching the proper pad level and loading his base.

Latham moves people on the ground — plain and simple. And while that’s where most of his highlight reps rest, he’s also a very good pass protector. Balance against counters can be an issue at times, but overall, he’s a smooth, patient, and disciplined blocker with suffocating grip strength once he anchors.

As if all this isn’t enough, Latham’s tone-setting mentality seals the deal. He’s a high-energy competitor who exudes physicality off the snap and will finish defenders into the turf if they give up leverage or lose balance — rag-dolling opponents into submission with his elite power.

The bottom line is this: Latham has the talent, mentality, technical competence, natural feel for leverage, and dominating two-phase ability to be an impact starter early in his career, and he has Pro Bowl and All-Pro upside at his peak.