It goes without saying that an offensive lineman is one of the most important positions the New Orleans Saints will need to fill in 2024.
JC Latham of Alabama is one of several strong options available to New Orleans with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft that would satisfy that demand.
Latham, who started at right tackle for the first two seasons, allowed two sacks in 960 passing plays.
This last season saw both sacks, which may have also something to do with Jalen Milroe, the quarterback, being a lot more elusive player than Bryce Young.
The Saints have made fun of the 6-foot-6, 360-pound 21-year-old on many occasions. According to several NFL Network mock drafts and The Athletic, New Orleans will choose him with the 14th overall pick.
Trevor Penning, who the Saints selected with the 19th overall pick in 2022, has not worked out as a left tackle.
This season, Andrus Peat did a respectable job in the role, but not well enough to be the permanent fix.
And Ryan Ramczyk, a 2019 All-Pro right tackle, is a great player when fit, but he has a knee problem that may hinder him in the future.
The Saints drafted Trevor Penning with the 19th overall pick in 2022, but he hasn’t shown much promise at left tackle.
Andrus Peat performed admirably in the role this season, but not good enough to be the long-term solution.
Additionally, right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, a 2019 All-Pro, is a fantastic player when healthy, but he has a knee issue that might limit him in the future.
Run blocking was the main issue for the Saints’ offensive line in 2023. Alvin Kamara, the team’s rushing back, amassed 694 yards on 180 runs (3.9 yards per carry) while New Orleans was matched for the league’s lowest 3.6 yards per carry.
Despite having two previous seasons with fewer carries, it was his first time with fewer than 700 running yards in a season.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, who ranked Latham 19th in his prospect rankings, “Latham is on the short list for the strongest player in the class, as the imposing right tackle consistently puts opponents on the ground in the running game.”
Draft experts appear to agree on one thing when it comes to Latham’s passing game performance: he is strong and quick for his stature, but he may be tricked by cunning pass rushers.
Jeremiah stated, “He plays with good knee bend and a flat back, but his quickness in passes [protection] is average.”
“He can quickly anchor power rushers.” His hands are like vice grips; the moment he locks onto a defender, the pass rush is finished.
He has the ability to recover, twist, and dump opponents when they are out of position. His knowledge of blitzers and tricks hasn’t always been steady. He is very easily startled, which makes him vulnerable to pressure.
There’s a high probability that New Orleans rolls with Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State or Olumuyiwa Fashanu of Penn State if they are still on the board at 14.
These two tackles are ranked higher than Latham on every draft big board. The Saints may also look at Tyler Guyton of Oklahoma, Troy Fautanu of Washington, and Armarius Mims of Georgia as tackle candidates.