Chicago Bears target No. 5: JC Latham, OT
When it comes to the top offensive tackles in the 2024 NFL Draft, that list should include JC Latham pretty darn close to the top. Joe Alt tops that list for me, but JC Latham is— by a large margin— the best right tackle in the draft class.
JC Latham explaining why he remained at RT rather than switching to LT before the season as many suspected he might do pic.twitter.com/0RbGz2BRhZ
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) February 27, 2024
The biggest knock on Latham would be the fact that he plays right tackle instead of left tackle. That's not an issue to Latham, however, as he's up for the challenge of swapping sides to become a left tackle at the next level.
"Obviously, it's a question mark. I'm a right tackle. So, you know, usually tackles taken extremely high are left tackles. I feel I can break that kind of narrative, and also it would help me showcase my ability to play left [tackle]. I have the ability to be dominant regardless."JC Latham on swapping from RT to LT
One of the elite traits discovered about JC Latham during the combine was that he has 11-inch meat hooks for hands. For offensive tackles, having the ability to quite literally man-handle most edge rushers is an elite trait.
As someone who's never been an NFL general manager, drafting elite traits followed by top-level production would be my formula for trying to draft long-time starters with high-end draft stock.
While JC Latham played as a right tackle at Alabama, he has the traits and the ability to kick over to the left side of the line and be an All-Pro tackle.
Some could claim it's a reach at No.9, and maybe the Chicago Bears could get him later in the first round. But, at the end of the day, production from the prospect is what judges if the pick was used correctly or not. If Latham is All-Pro by his second or third season, no one will bat an eye on the choice to draft him at the No. 9 spot.