2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

Laiatu Latu scouting report

Laiatu Latu

UCLA

Report Grade

Position Rank

2

Overall Rank

10

Laiatu Latu

UCLA

Player Comp

Projection

Height

6′ 5″

Weight

259

40 Time

4.64 (1.62)

Class

Redshirt Senior
* Projected

EDGE

Combine Measurables

Arm Length

32 5/8″

Hand Size

9 5/8″

Wingspan

78 1/4″

3 Cone

N/A

Vertical

32″

Broad Jump

9′ 8″

Bench Press

N/A

Shuttle

N/A

Career Stats

YearSchoolClassGamesSolo TacklesAssisted TacklesTotal TacklesTackles For LossSacksInterceptionsPasses DefendedForced Fumbles
2019WashingtonFR8105151.50.5010
2020WashingtonSO00000.00.0000
2022UCLAJR1323133612.510.5213
2023UCLASR1228214921.513.0222

Strengths

  • Quickness off the line of scrimmage
  • Plays with tremendous competitiveness to continue pushing to the whistle
  • His play enhances when he’s attacking in the trenches at the point of attack

Weaknesses

  • Shore up blocking technique when attacking behind the line
  • Can struggle to navigate horizontally through traffic
  • Would like to see him develop his utility belt as an edge rusher

Bio

2024 NFL Draft: Laiatu Latu Draft Profile and Scouting Report

Began his collegiate career at the University of Washington, appearing in 12 of the 13 games as a true freshman. However, lingering neck injuries halted his play as he briefly retired from college football. He would eventually return to the field in 2022 as a reserve player for the UCLA Bruins before assuming the starting role this season.

Laiatu Latu 40 Time

Official 40 Time: 4.64 seconds

Laiatu Latu began at the University of Washington in 2019. He appeared in 12 games that season for the Huskies, but neck injuries prevented him from returning to the field and he retired in April of 2021. Following a year away, Laiatu Latu transferred to play with the UCLA Bruins. He was a reserve linebacker in 2022, but led the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Latu earned the starting job in 2023, where he was able to make an immediate impact with more reps.

He possess good quickness off the line of scrimmage to find an open gap and attack the ball behind the line of scrimmage with ease. Displays a good ability to fight through the trenches and attack the running back at the point of attack. Plays with tremendous toughness and grit to continue fighting until the whistle. Latu shows good lateral agility to stay in front of the quarterback on plays designed to move the pocket. Has a good use of hands to bat down the defender and attack off the edge. Shows to have a very good ability to read the quarterback and break on the ball from across the field. Finally, he displays good body bend and lean to elude the offensive tackle and attack the pocket.

However, as strong of a player as Laiatu Latu is, there are still some areas in which he could improve. I would like to see him play with more willingness to take on blocks and drive through the defender to attack the ball. He has shown on occasion that he’ll drop his head to take on blocks with his shoulder, causing him to lose sight of the ball. He can struggle to navigate through traffic on runs away from him. Finally, as good as he is off the edge versus offensive tackles, I would like to see him develop more ways to beat the tackle.

Recruiting Bio

Laiatu Latu was a graduate of Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California, where he played football for head coach Marlon Blanton. He played both sides of the ball for Jesuit, appearing as outside linebacker and tight end. He was a consensus four-star recruiting prospect out of the state of California, which accounts for his 93.63 score in On3’s Industry Ranking. 247 Sports had him as the fifth-ranked EDGE in the state and 98th overall nationally.

In 2017, Laiatu Latu was named Delta League’s Co-All Purpose Player of the Year, as well as the Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro All-Purpose First Team.

Out of high school, Laiatu Latu had offers from Notre Dame, Alabama, Oregon State, along with several others. In December of 2018, Latu committed to Washington and signed his letter of intent, with enrollment coming in June of 2019. He made an impact immediately on campus as a true freshman, but lingering neck issues cut his career short at Washington as he briefly retired from play. However, in November of 2021, Laiatu Latu returned to football and announced that he would enter the transfer portal. In late December, Latu announced that he would transfer to UCLA.

He has an estimated NIL worth of $730,000.

Accolades

  • 2023 Lombardi Award
  • 2023 Ted Hendricks Award
  • 2023 Bronco Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List
  • 2023 Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List
  • 2022 First-Team All-Pac-12

2024 EDGE Rankings

#1

Jared Verse

EDGE – Florida State

#2

JT Tuimoloau

EDGE – Ohio State

#3

Bralen Trice

EDGE – Washington

#4

Dallas Turner

EDGE – Alabama

#5

Jack Sawyer

EDGE – Ohio State

#6

Zion Tupuola-Fetui

EDGE – Washington

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