Looking ahead to the Tennessee Titans and training camp, a few key developments stand out that will be worth monitoring to see how they progress. While the battles at inside linebacker and wide receiver will be fun to watch, watching certain players to see how much they’ve improved could be critical for the success of the franchise.
One player worth watching is tackle JC Latham. The second-year tackle is switching back to his natural right tackle position and appears poised to have a breakout season in 2025.
The former first-round pick out of Alabama struggled at times in 2024, playing out of position at left tackle. While he demonstrated the demeanor and leadership necessary to anchor an offensive line, the overall results were just average.
That could all change in 2025, with Latham set to take the next step in his career where he feels most comfortable. Joe Rexrode of The Athletic believes that Latham could be one of the Titans’ most improved players this season and will make a bigger impact.
Tennessee Titans – OT JC Latham
Consistent with the recent history of this franchise, the Titans took Latham No. 7 in the 2024 draft, insisted he was a left tackle even though he played right tackle at Alabama, then switched him back to the right side after an uninspiring rookie season. The Titans look bad on this, as with many other things. But Latham looks good, having lost 30 pounds after admittedly letting his weight get out of control. His talent and infectious personality have been there. If he’s ready for the rigors of a full season and more comfortable back on the right side, he could be one of the team’s most improved players.
The former first-round pick out of Alabama struggled with his weight and the nuances of playing out of position at left tackle in 2024, making the entire season a battle. This is something he has addressed in the offseason by dropping weight and appearing to be a completely different player on the field.
As Rexrode points out, Tennessee does deserve some blame for the way they handled Latham during his rookie season, especially if he does develop into an anchor on the right side of the offensive line this season. While Latham is athletic and may have the talent to hold down the left tackle position, switching sides during an offseason after having spent your entire football career playing a specific position can be difficult and lead to struggles, which was the case for Latham in 2024.
Was this a misvaluation, or was this just the result of panicking during the draft when the player they had targeted was off the board? It was likely both. Fortunately for the Titans, they corrected their error, and Latham will have a chance to continue his development where he feels most confident and comfortable on the right side.