The Pittsburgh Steelers landed gigantic Alabama tackle JC Latham in the first round in a new mock 2024 NFL Draft by Sharp Football.
Sharp’s Ryan McCrystal projected that the Steelers will draft the 6-foot-6, 360-pound Latham with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round this coming April. McCrystal says Latham’s huge size will be something that Omar Khan, Andy Weidl and company could be looking for.
“Broderick Jones will return to a starting role despite a tough rookie year, but it’s time to move on from Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle,” McCrystal wrote. “Alabama’s JC Latham and Georgia’s Amarius Mims are options. … The Steelers typically favor elite size in their linemen, and both Latham and Mims fit that profile.”
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.