The Indianapolis Colts selected UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu with the No. 15 pick in Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft. He was the first defensive player picked on the evening.
Once forced to medically retire from football while at Washington, Latu bounced back and made the most of his second chance with the Bruins, dominating the Pac-12 and earning his spot in Round 1.
Latu contributed to Washington as a freshman in 2019 but was sidelined after the Huskies’ team doctors wouldn’t allow him to return to the field from a 2020 neck injury. He transferred to UCLA in 2022, was cleared to play and led the team in tackles for loss and sacks while adding three forced fumbles.
After posting the third-highest single-season sack total (13) in UCLA history in 2023, he won the Ted Hendricks Award, given to college football’s top defensive end, and the Lombardi Award, honoring the lineman on either side of the ball who best represents the values of Vince Lombardi.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
Latu ranked No. 22 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Latu’s medical history will play a major part in his draft grade, but he is a pass rush technician with the instinctive feel and athletic bend to be an impactful “two-way go” rusher in the NFL. His play style and journey are reminiscent of Miami Dolphins 2021 first-rounder Jaelan Phillips.”
Coaching intel
Here’s what an anonymous NFL coach had to say about Latu in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“He’s really athletic and long. My knock on him is I don’t know if he played as physically as you’d like. They were a run-around-you defense — not so much of a take-you-on scheme. But he was able to jump around and get after you. He could get away with things in college that he probably can’t do in the NFL. But he is quick and can change directions fast.”
And here’s what an NFL defensive line coach told Feldman in his draft confidential:
“Latu’s the best of the edge guys. He’s the most polished. Watch his film. The only reason why Dallas Turner goes ahead of him is because of Latu’s neck issues. I think Latu is the most talented D-line guy in this draft.”
Why he’s a first-round pick
Latu’s motor is unquestioned, as evidenced by the persistence shown in his sack of No. 1 pick Caleb Williams from 2022 (video below), and it was rare for him to go a full 60 minutes without making an impact.
He tallied at least half a sack in eight of UCLA’s 12 regular-season games last fall. His length leaves blockers regularly wrong about how much time and space they have to deal with him, and he plays with an aggression that makes it easy to forget about his medical history.
LATU GOT HIM.
💻: https://t.co/F2B0eI3uCt
📺: @FOX#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/q8YyWxEXLY— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) November 20, 2022
Come back shortly for more analysis of the Laiatu Latu pick.
(Photo of Latu: Orlando Ramirez / USA Today)
