It serves as a national prep school power for high school athletes that want to excel in college and beyond.
The University of Alabama has grabbed some of the best players from IMG Academy — including Evan Neal, Dylan Moses, and Trey Sanders. A special connection from IMG Academy is now with the Crimson Tide and it may be the reason for Alabama becoming ‘ruthless’ again on the offensive line. JC Latham and Tyler Booker are on the right side of Alabama’s line at tackle and guard. The left side is normally the stronger side of the line, but the relationship between Latham and Booker changes it.
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Both were five stars in their respective signing classes to the Tide. Latham came in 2021 as the most college-ready lineman while Booker arrived on campus in 2022. They see Alabama as an elite program that can return to a dominant style up front. Booker sees the entire offensive unit taking on a leadership role with Bryce Young off to the NFL Draft; however, he detailed for reporters the closeness he has with Latham. Both want a national championship as they come from a program of sustained excellence.
“I consider JC a brother of mine,” Booker said Tuesday. “Ever since I got to IMG, we went through some of the same struggles. I don’t know if you guys remember this, but JC and I first played on the defensive line when we got to IMG. He was a defensive end and I was a three-technique. There was a shortage of offensive linemen so we both made the transition at the same time, and we both ascended to the top of the game at that position. So, being able to play next to him is a dream come true for both of us.”
Booker said the communication between him and Latham is ‘off the charts.’
“Sometimes things will get heated out there and we will say something that we did not mean to say, but at the end of the day that is my brother, and we would say ‘Hey man, I did not mean to come off at you like that, but this is what I was trying to say,'” Booker said. “Relationships are everything in football, especially on the offensive line. The relationship I have built with JC, we are working on a lot of non-verbal cues now. That relationship makes us so much better as a group.”
Booker and Latham are 6’6″ and 330+ pounds.
The right side of Alabama’s offensive line may be where Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams, Jam Miller, Justice Haynes, and Richard Young (summer enrollee) have the most success. We will see how good the group can be, but it is nice to hear about the togetherness from Booker and Latham.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
