Popular Bengals mock draft selection is visiting teams well ahead of Cincinnati in the NFL Draft order
The number of offensive tackles taken in the first 17 picks has been a popular NFL Draft discussion. The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping the number is small, but it could be larger than they hope.Former Alabama right tackle JC Latham looks more and more likely to become a part of that group. Latham, who took […]
The number of offensive tackles taken in the first 17 picks has been a popular NFL Draft discussion. The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping the number is small, but it could be larger than they hope.
Former Alabama right tackle JC Latham looks more and more likely to become a part of that group. Latham, who took a visit with the Tennessee Titans Monday and is visiting the Chicago Bears Tuesday and Wednesday.
Where is JC Latham projected to be drafted?
The career right tackle for the Crimson Tide is attracting teams picking near the top of the order. Latham also had a visit with the Arizona Cardinals not too long ago, and the Los Angeles Chargers showed great interest in him during his pro day. The Cardinals (4th overall), Chargers (5th overall), Titans (7th overall), and Bears (9th overall) all have picks in the top 10 of the first round.
Prospect team visits aren't the be-all, end-all indicator for projecting how the draft unfolds, but Latham has a case for being an exception.
The lone knock on Latham's pre-draft cycle is that he didn't provide any athleticism testing. The general belief is he did this to hide pedestrian testing scores that may knock down a few big boards in the process.
How teams were already grading Latham prior to the NFL Scouting Combine and Alabama's pro day likely had an influence on Latham's decision to decline testing. If he felt like he had more to lose than to gain by running and jumping for evaluators, then there was no reason to do any of the drills in the first place.
Ergo, if he was being told that he's likely to go in or around the first 10 picks, why test and potentially disrupt that? It's the same reason former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. declined any and all testing drills as well.
Will the Bengals be able to draft Latham?
There's a greater chance Latham is a part of the tackle group going off the board prior to the Bengals' 18th pick than him lasting that long on April 25. Players fall further than expected every year without fail (just look at what happened with Myles Murphy last year), but the teams paying the most attention to Latham are positioned much higher in the order.
It's also notable that there's been no reporting of the Bengals meeting with Latham since the Combine. They sent a completely different position coach to Bama's pro day, and a top 30 visit hasn't been confirmed.
Cincinnati is focusing on Latham's position for its first round selection, but selecting Latham would be a surprise at this point despite many recent mock drafts predicting it to happen.
Bengals 2024 NFL Draft prospect meeting tracker: Scouting combine, pro days, and top-30 visits
Tracking every player that has met with the Bengals during the pre-draft cycle.
