JC Latham may be forced to change positions in Tennessee as the No. 7 overall pick

Many NFL insiders had Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham mocked at No. 5 to Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers. Instead, LA went with Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Latham was selected just two spots later at No. 7 overall to the Tennessee Titans. 

While Tennessee had a desperate need at offensive tackle, Latham may have been a better fit with the Chargers who have All-Pro Rashawn Slater at left tackle. Latham could have easily slotted in on the right side opposite Latham as the team’s right tackle, but instead, the former five-star recruit may be forced to flip around to left tackle for the Titans. 

Last year, Tennessee took Peter Skoronski from Northwestern at No. 11 overall but moved him inside to left guard. The Titans were forced to play Andre Dillard and Jaelyn Duncan at left tackle. That duo combined to allow 77 total pressures across 901 snaps while Dillon Radunz, a 2021 second round pick, gave up just 36 pressures in his 774 snaps, 504 of them at right tackle. 

Latham would form a dominant duo with Skornoski on the left side, but the positional change could potentially stunt his growth from college to the NFL. Over his three years at Alabama, Latham played 1,753 snaps and all of them came at right tackle. 

Tennessee has an elite offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, father of their head coach, Brian Callahan, so Latham will have plenty of help if they do force a transition. Tennessee’s plan with Latham will likely be revealed soon he might just stick on the right side in the league. Regardless, the Titans got a massive upgrade in front of second year quarterback Will Levis. 

The most important question for the Tennessee Titans is whether Levis is a franchise quarterback. Latham, no matter which side of the line he ends up on, will help to answer that.