With a return to his natural position and a new offensive line coach, J.C. Latham is poised for a breakout season in 2026.
The Tennessee Titans selected J.C. Latham with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama.
He was initially asked to play left tackle, which he was not very familiar with. Latham played right tackle for the majority of his time in Tuscaloosa. Still, he played a full season on the left side even though it wasn't his preference.
Latham wasn't the only one whose rookie season was a big adjustment. Peter Skoronski played left tackle in college, but was moved to left guard by the Titans. The move paid off, but he definitely had to get used to it.
On top of that, Skoronski had to miss a few games due to an emergency appendectomy. Since then, however, he's been an anchor on the offensive line and was named a fifth-year option candidate for 2027.
Then, in 2025, the team brought in veteran left tackle Dan Moore Jr., and Latham moved back to his natural position at right tackle. He missed a few games with a hip injury and played in 13 for the Titans last season.
Going from one offensive line coach to another is never easy. Despite bringing in revered offensive line coach Bill Callahan, the father of former head coach Brian Callahan, the Titans still allowed the sixth-most sacks (56) in the league last season.
The Titans brought over Brian Daboll's offensive line coach from the New York Giants, Carmen Bricillo, for the same role in the Music City.
Bricillo's offensive line at the Giants blocked for an offense whose specialty was in the running game. New York averaged the fifth-most rushing yards per game (129.1) in the NFL last season.
Latham has typically been a better run blocker since joining the NFL in 2024, but, as 104.5 The Zone's Ramon Foster says, offensive linemen don't really become pros until year three. Latham is beginning his third year with the Titans in 2026.
Foster would know, as a former offensive lineman who played in the NFL from 2009-2019 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Want more proof? Take Latham's teammate Skoronski last season.
2025 was the third year of Skoronski's NFL career, and he put on a clinic. Skoronski finished with a pass-block win rate of 96% and was by far the best offensive lineman the Titans had.
Latham has already shown signs of improvement.
His run-blocking grade last season was 71.2 and should improve this coming season under Bricillo. His pass blocking still needs some work, but history tells us that Latham could really step into his own in 2026.
The offensive line will look a lot different after the departures of center Lloyd Cushenberry and right guard Kevin Zeitler. Austin Schlottmann and Cordell Volson are expected to compete for the starting jobs at center and right guard.
If Skoronski can maintain his level of production and Latham comes into his own, it would be a great help to Schlottmann and Volson as they prepare for their first seasons with the franchise.
Year three could be a special one for Latham if what Foster says comes true, as it has before in this league. We'll see if Latham becomes a true pro in 2026.