Alabama Football News

Early Spring Practice Positional Battles: Who competes at left tackle?

by
Patrick Dowd
March 7, 2022

JC Latham (#65) going through drills at Alabama practice

Photo by Kent Gidley

Spring practice begins in a few weeks for Alabama football.

Crimson Tide fans are ready to see their team make a return to the College Football Playoff National Championship stage, but the work starts in March and April. Nick Saban has graduated a lot of experience to the NFL Draft, but the Tide has retooled its deck of players and coaches.

The staff at Touchdown Alabama Magazine is getting everyone prepared for spring football with a new series.

We will be highlighting early spring positions battles and which players will earn starting roles. After a breakdown of the center position on the offensive line, we continue with the linemen. We now turn our attention to left tackle:

J. C. LATHAM

J.C. Latham arrived at Alabama in the class of 2021 as the nation’s top offensive lineman and after one year of development in the program will be ready to compete full time along Alabama’s offensive line. During his freshman season, Latham primarily worked as a reserve offensive lineman for the Crimson Tide. Despite arriving at Tuscaloosa as a tackle, he was transitioned to guard to create depth for an Alabama offensive line that was in flux throughout the year.

Shifting inside to guard to get accustomed to the system isn’t out of the ordinary for Nick Saban led Alabama teams. The Crimson Tide took a similar approach with Evan Neal who was similarly hyped as an offensive tackle but started his freshman season at guard. Three years later, Neal was one of the best offensive linemen in the country and is now the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Alabama will hope to have similar success with Latham.

AMARI KIGHT

He’s been in the program for three seasons and has now received his best opportunity to start. Amari Kight has the exact size Alabama is looking for at tackle and the team now hopes he can put it all together. Kight arrived in the class of 2019 and was a four-star offensive lineman out of Thompson High School.

After not any time during his first two seasons, Kight was one of the Crimson Tide’s primary backups during 2021 as he appeared in a total of seven games. Kight was able to see the most action of his career during the New Mexico State game where he recorded 36 snaps. Alabama will look to lean on Kight’s experience within the program to hopefully bring a more seasoned player along at left tackle.

TOMMY BROCKERMEYER

Much like Latham, Tommy Brockermeyer was another hyped offensive line prospect in the class of 2021. Dominance along the offensive line runs in the family as his father Blake, was an All-American at Texas and his brother James Brockermeyer is also a member of the Crimson Tide who is more of an interior prospect.

Tommy is a bit lighter than his competition weighing in at 305 pounds, but his talent is easy to see when looking at his high school tape.

Out of those competing, Brockermeyer may be viewed as a bit more of a longshot comparatively, but there has been no shortage of surprise starters who have come from spring football.