Dolphins NFL Draft: Massive, powerful Alabama T JC Latham: I'd wrestle grizzly bear

Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham is 6-foot-6, 342 pounds.

He wears a size 18 sneaker.

"Jordans," Latham said at the NFL scouting combine. "I'm in love with '4s.' And Christian Dior is also a really comfortable shoe."

Latham, who played right tackle at Alabama, wants all NFL general managers and coaches to know he's also comfortable at left tackle and guard.

"I have the ability to do anything asked of me," Latham said. "To get the job done."

NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein says Latham is a "bulldozer in human form."

This will be helpful if Latham is ever asked to wrestle a large wild animal, as a reporter at the combine suggested he might do.

"A bear," Latham said with a smile. "A grizzly bear."

Alabama OT JC Latham: Bring on grizzly bear

It's entirely possible that Latham will be taken in the top 10 of 15 picks of the NFL draft on Thursday.

But if by some stroke of luck Latham makes it to Miami at 21, they'll very seriously consider a pounce.

"There's a chance Latham could be there," NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah said. "I think Latham would fit them."

Jeremiah believes guard/tackle Troy Fautanu of Washington and Latham would be ideal picks for Miami.

Neither may be there.

Miami Dolphins would strike gold with Fautanu or Latham

Either player could line up at guard in 2024 with the option to move to left tackle as early as 2025.

Latham told an interesting story about how he played left tackle at IMG Academy.

"I was really a defensive lineman," Latham said. "I was top 10 and top 3 at my position. But two weeks before the first game, three guys tore their ACL and MCL playing basketball. Crazy situation. So they asked me to play offensive line. I didn't even have an offseason at left tackle. At Alabama, Evan Neal was at left so I moved to right. Played some guard that season. Wherever I'm needed I'll adapt."

Jeremiah says Latham has massive size and tantalizing physicality.

"The mindset is to be physical," Latham said. "To be aggressive. To attack. That's the mindset I always had as a defensive player. Playing offense and playing offensive line, it just translates over so easily."

On the downside, Latham has average mobility and can be beaten by stunts or blitzes.

Latham took full responsibility for a few mental errors, including a blocking assignment on the last play of Alabama's national championship loss to Michigan.

NFL draft: JC Latham discusses Alabama championship game

"Poor mental awareness," Latham said. "I had to take the man. Want to be more consistent."

Latham has a background in basketball and track and field.

At the age of 21, he is extremely powerful, one of the strongest players in the draft.

Latham has the ceiling of a Pro Bowl player at guard or tackle.

"Enormous power base," Jeremiah said. "He has vise grips for hands. A mauler."

Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

89th NFL DRAFT

Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza, Detroit

Round 1, Thursday, 8 p.m.

Rounds 2-3, Friday, April 26, 7 p.m.

Rounds 4-7, Saturday, April 27, noon

To follow along: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio

First pick: Chicago Bears

Dolphins' picks: Round 1/21; Round 2/55; Round 5/158; Round 6/Pick 184 (from CHI); Round 6/198; Round 7/241

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: JC Latham Alabama tackle would be amazing NFL Draft pick for Miami Dolphins