Offensive tackle JC Latham of Bradenton, Florida’s IMG Academy would add to an already huge future presence on the Buckeyes’ frontline. class of 2021, four-star recruit stands around 6-6, weighing in at around 270–280 depending on sources (though SI has him at 6-7, 300 - https://www.si.com/college/recruiting/football/jc-latham-has-top-two-commitment-date-set). He’s attracted loads of Power Five titans, including, of course, Ohio State, for a total of two dozen scholarships. The final choice is down to the Buckeyes and the newly minted national champion LSU Tigers, but he seems to be strongly leaning toward Ohio State.

Ohio State 2021 Class

Latham hopes to play left tackle, and Rivals has him at #19 among OTs, while 247Sports has him at #13. He’d join two other four-star OL recruits who have given their verbal commit: Ohio native Ben Christman (6-6, 298, Rivals #11 OT) and Donovan Jackson (6-4, 295, Rivals #8 OT) from Houston. Despite offers from schools closer to home, Latham says he loves the feel at Ohio State, especially as he spent a lot of his pre-college years in the Midwest, growing up in Wisconsin.

JC Latham Visits

He’s played on both sides of the ball at IMG Academy, but he’s made a commitment to the offensive line since his visit to Ohio State in March, when he was a raw defensive line talent. He was no slouch on that side either: in his sophomore year, he recorded 95 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. On the March trip, he spent most of his time with 5-star commit SDE Jack Sawyer. Since then, he’s worked hard under strong coaching at IMG Academy to refine his OL skills. When he returned to Ohio State in November, he’d switched to an OT prospect and a top priority for the Buckeyes.

IMG Academy, despite being in the glorious sun of Florida, is a tough place and is geared toward turning out top athletes and individuals. Latham in an interview notes how strict the school is about making sure athletes attend their classes and get their work done on time (source - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UdGQkfps64 ). Latham attributes a great deal of his success to how IMG eased his transition to an OL and helped him excel in such a short time.

J.C. Latham: Top 2021 Ohio State target on Buckeyes, recruiting and more

What JC Latham Likes at Ohio State

Latham notes how important cohesion is on the offensive line, and his chance to spend time with Christman, Jackson, and other recruits helped him get a preview of how that can come together. He says the players in his class have a group chat on Twitter and there’s plenty of ongoing communication among them. He says Sawyer was an especially strong recruiting force.

Between the avalanche of scholarships and visits, Latham’s been a busy guy. And though he loves the sun and beaches of Florida, he seems to have no problem moving back up north and fortifying the OL in autumn and winter at the Shoe. He speaks especially highly of how the school develops individuals beyond athletics. He’s confident he’ll be able to have a good career outside of football in addition to what he can do on the gridiron. Signs seem to be pointing north for Latham, so let’s hope that’s where he heads.