Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts Pick Laiatu Latu | 2024 NFL Draft Coverage

Starting point is 00:00:00 The pick is in. The Indianapolis Colts have made a selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Alongside Locked On College football host Spencer McLaughlin, I'm Tanitra Batiste, and we are joined by Zach Hicks of Locked On Colts to break down the Colts selecting Leatu Latu with the number 15 pick. Shockingly, Zach, the first edge rusher to go off the board is Latu. Did you think that would happen or that he'd actually be available at 15? Yeah, so I mean, going into the draft saying that he would be there at 15 probably seemed like a pipe dream.

Starting point is 00:00:40 I mean, we're talking about a guy who is one of the most productive edge rushers in college football the last two seasons. Obviously, there were concerns with his age and with the neck injury a couple years back. But yeah, it's shocking to even think that he would have been there at 15, let alone be the first defender off the board at pick 15 there for the Colts. But in terms of shock, you know, I can't say it was the most shocking pick of the night because we've had quite a few shocking ones already tonight. But for the Colts, it was quite shocking. I mean, this is a player who doesn't fit what the Colts typically do at the position.

Starting point is 00:01:12 They typically swing for the fences on these high upside guys who didn't really produce in college, but you're projecting them to produce at the next level. Now, this is more of a safer pick, but still a guy who could be, you know, a high impact player at the next level for the Colts. So it's a break from their tendencies, but they kind of needed to do a break of tendency at the edge rusher position. And Latu could be that star player they're looking for. And what do you like the most about how he fits? And I know you mentioned that with him, he's already kind of shown you so much of his upside, but what do you like about what he might bring to this Colts pass rush? Yeah. You know, the biggest thing is just the polish. Again, the Colts, when they swing at edge rusher under Chris Ballard, you know, Kamoku Ture, Ben Banigou, Quidi Pei, these are players

Starting point is 00:01:57 who did not really produce a ton at the college level. And they were more projections to the next level. When you're looking at Latu, this is a guy who has that polish, a guy who was dominating at the college level. I mean, you look at his pass rush win rate, it's up there with the Boses at the college level there, which it doesn't get much better than that. I mean, the Boses are two of the best pass rushing prospects that we've seen in the last 10 years.

Starting point is 00:02:19 So, yeah, when you're getting that kind of guy here at pick 15, you have to be excited. Like, you can be concerned all you want about the injuries. You could be concerned about the run defense. But at the end of the day, this is a passing league. And Latou is a guy who can get to the quarterback and rush the passer. And again, the Colts, when you swing for the fences on those athletic guys, you might not necessarily be getting guys who can do that.

Starting point is 00:02:42 But Latou, you are getting that from day one. Like even if the run defense isn't there from day one, you're getting a guy who could be a 10 plus sack guy from day one on your defense, which you have to be excited about. No matter what you think about Latu as a player, as an all-around player, you have to be excited about that.

Starting point is 00:02:59 Indeed, indeed. And what do you think is maybe that one area where he has to improve most? Yeah, I think it's just the run defense overall getting out there and being sturdy against the run. It's not that he was a bad run defender there at UCLA. It's just he wasn't out there as much as maybe some of the other guys in this class. But again, passing league, you take the swing on the pass rushing upside

Starting point is 00:03:18 and hopefully the run defense come along there as well. But yeah, very excited about this pick. Very, very excited about what he can bring to this Colts pass rush. For more on the Colts, subscribe to Locked on Colts on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Now, Spencer Latu is one of those players, like we talked about, who has a tremendous upside. But what for you is the reason he is viewed to have that type of upside

Starting point is 00:03:42 where he is in the conversation with the likes of the folks? He just you that that that's it it's that simple he just beats you look he doesn't wow you the way chop robinson does when you look at the way that robinson comes off the edge with just this ferocious speed like he's running away from a group of snakes or something like i mean that's my personal fear i'm just saying like he he's got that explosiveness about him Latu looks like one of the smartest pass rushers I have ever seen the way that he just uses the leverage that that a tackle has against him the way he uses his hands to avoid contact I I don't think he look he doesn't look like the biggest guy he doesn't always look like the fastest guy he's definitely more of a speed rusher than a power rusher but his array of moves the refined nature to his game is just astonishingly good and his productivity and the numbers back that up he's

Starting point is 00:04:36 one of those guys who you have to know where he is on the field at all times during his college career and I think that can be the case in the NFL as well because he's just such a crafty smart and dynamic pass rusher he can be a double-digit sack player in the NFL immediately for continuing coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft to subscribe to locked on NFL on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts part of the lock on podcast Network your team every day

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Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts Pick Laiatu Latu | 2024 NFL Draft Coverage

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