The Colts take the first defensive player off the board as they beef up their pass rush with UCLA's Laiatu Latu. Latu joins a productive pass-rush group headlined by Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam. Paye had 8.5 sacks in 2023; Ebukam had 9.5. Dayo Odeyingbo also emerged with 8 sacks in his rookie year. These are good numbers, and Indy was actually
fifth in the league with 51 sacks last year. Latu will add even more production. Expect double-digit sacks from him each year.
The selection of Latu is a risky one. Latu was medically retired in 2021, but a second opinion allowed him to return to football in 2022. Concerns over the neck injury will have been thoroughly investigated by the Colts before making this pick. There's certainly no concern about Latu's talent. Latu is pro-ready and possesses a good combination of speed and strength. Latu has an excellent motor and wins with a varied combination of pass-rush moves.
Grade: B- David Payne, DraftTek Senior Analyst