TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A leaner J.C. Latham motored through drills inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility during Alabama’s Pro Day on Wednesday.

Latham, who started at right tackle for the Crimson Tide the past two seasons, was listed at 6-foot-6, 360 pounds on the team’s roster. That might have been true in January, but over the past seven weeks the five-star tackle has been sticking to an offseason regimen that’s seen him drop 20 pounds.

Per multiple reports, Latham weighed in at 346 pounds on Wednesday. While the lineman only participated in positional drills, he appeared nimble on his feet without losing any of the power or explosion that led to his success at Alabama.

Following his workout, Latham said the new weight should help him in the present but will also go a long way toward ensuring sustained production down the road.

“You take off 20 pounds, you move quicker, so there’s that. And it’s probably easier to recover from everything. Everybody was telling me that once you hit that 340 mark, no matter what position you play — offensive line, defensive line — it’s not good for your knees. It causes a lot of stress on them. You don’t want that if you’re trying to play a long time.”

While Latham’s road to weight loss involved some grueling training sessions, that was nothing compared to the strict dietary restraints he’s faced over the past seven weeks.

“It was real tough, I’m not going to lie,” Latham said. “That was probably the hardest part. I don’t really eat fast food like that, but I definitely eat out. Some steak wagyu, mashed potatoes and asparagus. But you’ve got to cut back on all that stuff, all the oil and stuff.”

Breakfast was the first meal to go.

“Whether I had it or not, I performed the same,” Latham explained, “so we just cut that meal out.”

Lunch and dinner became a lot less fun, too.

Latham says an average lunch consists of a couple of scoops of rice, some grilled chicken and a green vegetable such as broccoli. Dinner is more or less the same with a few variants to keep things fresh. There’s room for a few add-ons, but “nothing too crazy.”

On those times when he’s too tired to prepare his meals, Latham's go-to spot has been Sweetgreen, a restaurant chain that specializes in salads and protein bowls. Latham was given a small break from the diet for his birthday on Feb. 8, as his family cooked out for him. Other than that, the lineman stuck to the rigid diet.

As for the hardest thing he had to give up?

“Five Guys burgers,” Latham said without hesitation. “I don’t know what they be doing over there, but just how the tinfoil is wrapped in. I get me two with lettuce, mayo, ketchup and cheese. Give me two of those and some small fries.”

While challenging, Latham believes his new diet will pay off in the long run. It certainly helped Wednesday as he zoomed through drills at a fast pace alongside former Alabama teammate Darrian Dalcourt. While Latham admits there are some things he’d like to clean up from his Pro Day performance, he said he ultimately solidified himself as a premier prospect.

From here, the lineman says he has several meetings lined up with NFL teams as he looks to put the finishing touches on his preparation for next month’s NFL draft.

“It’s a dream come true, one step forward,” Latham said. “There won’t be any more workouts now. The next time I suit up now will be with a team. It’s a really big deal.”

Latham said he plans on being in attendance for the NFL Draft, which will be held in Detroit from April 25-27. The former Alabama standout is projected as a first-round pick and is expected to be one of the first offensive tackles selected.

“That will be a surreal moment,” Latham said. “You see the draft every year, you watch it every year. Being able to really enjoy it first-hand, it will be an awesome experience.”