Just over a year ago, the Indianapolis Colts took a chance on edge rusher Laiatu Latu with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
Latu was the first defender off the board, marking the end of a historic 14-pick streak that saw only offensive players taken. With high expectations for his rookie campaign, Latu delivered four sacks and 32 total tackles while playing just over half of the team's defensive snaps.
Heading into year two, Latu and the Colts' front office hope he can take a leap to the next level. After fellow defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo left the team in free agency, Latu has more room to take over the pass rush.
Bleacher Report analyst Alex Ballentine thinks that Latu is Indianapolis' summer breakout candidate as the team preps for round two of OTAs.
"Laiatu Latu wasn't terrible as a rookie, but wasn't as impactful as the Colts were probably expecting when they took him with the 15th overall pick," Ballentine wrote. "He ended up playing 54 percent of the defensive snaps with four sacks to show for it. The Colts should be expecting much bigger things from him in Year 2. They let Dayo Odeyingbo walk in free agency, and they desperately need an edge-rusher who can get double-digit sacks every year. Latu has the highest potential to become that player on the roster. He was more of a pass-rush specialist in his first season, but with a year to get stronger and adapt his game to the NFL, he could prove himself as a building block this summer into the season."
The Colts will also benefit from the return of Samson Ebukam, who missed the entire 2024 season due to a torn Achilles tendon he suffered during training camp. Ebukam led the team with 9.5 sacks in 2023, but expectations are unclear as he continues to rehab to game speed.
Latu is currently listed over Ebukam as the team's starter on ESPN's depth chart, but it's more likely the two will split snaps. The two will share the field with fellow defensive ends Kwity Paye, JT Tuimoloau, Tyquan Lewis, and Isaiah Land.
Lewis and Paye have been with the Colts the longest, with the former arriving in 2018 and the latter in 2021. Both helped the Colts set an Indianapolis-era record for most sacks in a season in 2023, combining for 12.5 sacks on their own.
Latu earned a 71.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024, ranking 45th among 211 eligible edge rushers. He excelled in the pass rush, where he notched a 72.1 grade (34th/211). On top of getting to the quarterback, Latu showed a keen eye for the ball as he forced three fumbles in his 17 games.
The Colts will hope for an increase in production from Latu as he continues to adjust to the professional level.
