Indianapolis Colts select EDGE Laiatu Latu with No. 15 pick in 2024 NFL Draft

Kevin Hickey

Indianapolis Colts select EDGE Laiatu Latu with No. 15 pick in 2024 NFL Draft image

The Indianapolis Colts selected UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

After a crazy run of offensive players for the first 14 selections in the draft, the Colts made a somewhat surprising pick in Latu, adding a polished prospect to the pass rush.

Even though this unit broke the franchise record with 51 sacks in 2023, general manager Chris Ballard continues to add to the defensive side of the ball.

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At 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds, Latu measured in with 32 5/8-inch arms and a 78 1/4-inch wingspan. He recorded a 4.64 in the 40-yard dash to go along with a 32-inch vertical and 9-foot-8-inch broad jump.

Latu brings some bend and speed off the edge to go along with an advanced pass-rush repertoire. He may not fit what the Colts have done athletically in the past, but adding a skilled pass rusher is never a bad idea.

The Colts must have felt comfortable enough with his medicals. Latu was forced to medically retire from football in 2020 after suffering a neck injury during practice at Washington. After he was medically cleared in 2021, he transferred to UCLA.

He was a one-year starter at UCLA, but he put together impressive production with 23.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss in 25 games (12 starts).

Colts NFL Draft order 2024

Round Pick (Overall) Selection
1 15 EDGE Laiatu Latu
2 46  
3 82  
4 117  
5 151  
6 191  
7 234  

For more Colts coverage, check out Kevin Hickey's work on Sporting News.

Kevin Hickey

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Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11