Steelers Land Alabama OT J.C. Latham in New Mock Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem poised to try and land a tackle in the NFL Draft this year, and it is becoming the likeliest option at 20th overall. However, which tackle that ends up being is anyone’s best guess at this point. Tony Pauline of SportsKeeda gave the Steelers a new, intriguing option on Friday, though.

In his latest mock draft, he has the team selecting Alabama offensive tackle J.C. Latham. Listed at 365 pounds on Alabama’s website, he came in over 20 pounds lighter at the NFL Combine and looked nimbler than ever.

“Kool-Aid McKinstry will receive consideration here, but not enough is known about his injury,” Pauline wrote. “Latham is a better fit than Mims as a powerful right tackle which allows them to move Broderick Jones, last year’s first-round pick, to the left side. From what I’m told, the surprise pick at this slot could end up Jackson Powers-Johnson.”

Latham started at right guard before moving to right tackle for Alabama in 2022. A two-year starter at that position, he would likely play right tackle in the NFL and move Broderick Jones back to left tackle, where he played in college. Jones played right tackle in 2023.

Despite his size, Latham is no lumberer, and he is seen as a well-rounded player that can be elite in both run and pass blocking. In 915 pass-rush snaps as a tackle at Alabama, he gave up just two sacks, per Pro Football Focus.

Latham is one of a cluster of tackle options for the Steelers in the first round. While Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt are expected to be gone well before Pittsburgh picks, there are four tackles that could be available in the back half of this year’s first round: Latham, Mims, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton.

Dan Moore Jr., the Steelers’ incumbent starter at left tackle, is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and Chuks Okorafor, who lost his right tackle job to Jones mid-season has been released, so it appears high time for the Steelers to make another long-term upgrade at tackle after trading up to draft Jones last year.