For Alabama football offensive tackle JC Latham, last season was all about proving he could be one of the SEC’s best. Mission accomplished, with Latham entering 2023 on a plethora of all-SEC and all-American lists.

For his junior year, Latham is trying to have an even bigger season. That starts with getting bigger himself.

The tackle, who stands 6-foot-6, is listed at 335 pounds on Alabama’s roster. Recently, he shared a photo on social media of himself weighing in at 360 pounds.

“I feel great, honestly,” Latham said. “We have a great strength and conditioning group down there, so I put on some muscle. I feel great.”

Latham credited Alabama’s nutrition program and said he had been taking creatine and glutamine to help grow. He said he was giving his top efforts in the weight room and had been eating and hydrating after his lifts.

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The IMG Academy product, who entered Alabama as a five-star prospect, said the growth was largely self-motivated.

“Obviously I’m a team-oriented player. I want the team to succeed in all aspects,” Latham said.”But I understand that my career won’t end at Alabama, and it will continue down the line, once I leave here, that I want to be able to add in addition to. Guys like Will Anderson that I’ll see again. So I definitely want to come with something else to my game — whether it’s getting bigger or stronger or faster, whatever that might be.”

That shouldn’t be mistaken as Latham putting himself first though. He’s earned positive reviews throughout camp from both Nick Saban and his Alabama teammates.

Crimson Tide guard Tyler Booker, whose relation with Latham dates back to their high school days at IMG, raved about his teammate, noting his football IQ.

“Being able to trust him right beside me and have a jump on the defense because we know what they’re doing before they do it, it’s very reassuring,” Booker said on Aug. 7. ” Just learning how to understand what the defense is trying to do to us, that’s what I’ve learned that from JC.”

Latham and his Alabama teammates are set to continue preseason camp through Aug. 26. The Crimson Tide open the season on Sept. 2 against Middle Tennessee State.