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Turron Davenport, ESPN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans basic supervisor Ran Carthon mentioned they obtained “a ton of calls” to commerce down from their No. 7 decide on the opening day of the draft Thursday, however the second-year GM did not really feel it was well worth the threat of dropping an opportunity to pick out their man.
The Titans held the decide and went on to take offensive deal with JC Latham. All 25 of Latham’s profession begins at Alabama got here at proper deal with, however when Carthon spoke to the media Thursday, he made it clear that they see Latham as their beginning left deal with.
“I’ve all the arrogance on the earth within the child that he’ll determine it out simply due to his make-up, who he’s as a human, who he’s as an athlete, who he’s as a soccer participant,” Carthon mentioned.
Latham elected to enter the draft early after a productive junior 12 months. He had 41 knockdown blocks throughout 813 snaps for a median of three.2 per contest, in keeping with Alabama’s crew website, and he allowed simply two sacks in 408 cross units.
The change to left deal with is not an unprecedented transfer. Actually, it is a place change that Titans offensive line coach Invoice Callahan has helped gamers like Latham make up to now.
“There is a precedent,” Titans coach Brian Callahan mentioned Thursday. “So we had a consolation degree with the participant and the athlete and what he is able to. He is only a actually robust, highly effective, massive, athletic human. There’s not a whole lot of guys that appear to be him on Earth. “
It was simply 4 years in the past that Invoice Callahan helped one other Alabama proper deal with, Jedrick Wills Jr. make the change after the Cleveland Browns chosen him with the tenth total decide within the 2020 draft. Like Latham, Wills began all of his faculty video games at proper deal with. Wills has been the beginning left deal with in Cleveland ever since.
Invoice Callahan helped orchestrate one other place change when he joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2012. Former All-Professional lineman Tyron Smith largely performed proper deal with in faculty at USC and went on to play the identical place as a rookie for Dallas. Smith transformed to left deal with with Invoice Callahan as his place coach in his second season and began a seven-year Professional Bowl run.
Invoice Callahan took a liking to Latham throughout their in depth time collectively main as much as the draft, and the sensation was mutual. They met with Latham on the mix, went to his professional day and hosted him on a go to to the Titans’ amenities.
What was imagined to be a 30-minute assembly between the 2 was a two-hour movie and educating session that left Latham in awe of his future place coach.
“There may be a lot method I would by no means even heard about earlier than,” Latham mentioned of Invoice Callahan. “He is such a legendary coach. Simply to have the ability to be coached by him and decide his mind, simply perceive what kind of man he’s on a private degree but additionally perceive the setting that he is created with method and self-discipline. I like that every one, I am actually intrigued by all of it.”
Former IMG coach Bobby Acosta determined to change Latham to left deal with after accidents decimated their offensive line, and he was aided by offensive line coach George Hegamin, who performed offensive line for the Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Billy Miller, who took over because the coach the next 12 months, knew the place change was a sensible transfer.
“We noticed how massive he was, how athletic he might bend,” Miller informed ESPN. “He was bodily man. You see that in JC’s play. He is bodily, he finishes on folks.”
New #Titans OL JC Latham is making the transfer again to LT after beginning there for IMG Academy’s 2020 Nationwide Championship crew. IMG HC Billy Miller on Latham: It is like driving a motorcycle. I believe hell do an amazing job transferring again over to LT. He’ll be thrilling to look at. pic.twitter.com/QlWzRauAap
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) April 26, 2024
Regardless of being thought to be the No. 6 participant within the 2021 class, in keeping with the ESPN 300, Latham switched to proper deal with when he bought to Alabama. Evan Neal, who Latham took over for at IMG, occupied the left deal with spot at Alabama that season, and Latham remained at proper deal with for his last two seasons even after the New York Giants made Neal the No. 7 decide in 2022.
Now Latham is being tasked with reversing the Titans’ unlucky run of left tackles, from Dennis Daley in 2022 to Andre Dillard and Jaelyn Duncan final season.
Utilizing a top-10 decide on a prospect and switching his place is dangerous, however Miller likened the change for Latham to driving a motorcycle.
“When you study it, you possibly can all the time get again on and go,” Miller mentioned.
For over 20 years, the Titans skilled a profitable run of left tackles, together with Brad Hopkins (1993-2005), Michael Roos (2005-2014) and Taylor Lewan (2014-2022). At 21 years outdated, Latham might begin one other long term if the conversion goes proper.
The Titans signed middle Lloyd Cushenberry, the highest free agent at his place in March. They added free agent guard Saahdiq Charles and despatched a seventh-round decide to the Browns for Leroy Watson IV.
The plan is for 2022 third-round decide Nicholas Petit-Frere and second-year lineman Duncan to battle for the suitable deal with place, however issues might get out of types if Latham would not efficiently slide in at left deal with.
