The Indianapolis Colts couldn't have been more excited that edge rusher Laiatu Latu fell to them in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
As their highest-graded defensive player in the class, the selection to grab the UCLA product was an easy one even despite some questions around a neck injury from his past.
Commonly dubbed the most polished pass-rusher in the 2024 class, Latu will have a role ready for himself early.
That's partly why Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network believes Latu can have a "massive impact" for the Colts in 2024.
Latu is the elite pass-rushing threat the Colts have been dreaming of for years. And now, he’ll get to play on a defensive line with DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Kwity Paye. Isolated 1-on-1, Latu is almost unstoppable on the attack.
With Samson Ebukam, Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo ahead of Latu on the depth chart, his role will be a bit limited to begin his career. However, Latu will see the field.
The Colts pass-rush is arguably the team's strongest unit going into the new season, and the addition of Latu should only aid in their efforts to have a dominant pass rush.
Latu will be an ideal player to have in the rotation during sub packages, especially when they need some juice fro the LEO position.
It will be interesting to see what kind of role he has during his rookie season, but Latu certainly will have an impact in some way.
