The Indianapolis Colts are set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 4 matchup. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look at the Steelers and know who the most important player the Colts have to game plan for. That answer would be edge rusher T.J. Watt, who is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL today.
On the other hand, the Colts just used their 2024 first-round pick on UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu. Latu is coming off his first NFL sack, which couldn't have come at a better time as he helped seal the team's first win of the 2024 season.
Week 4 will give the Colts and Latu the chance to watch and compare his game to one of the NFL's best, T.J. Watt. This brings us to earlier this offseason, when Latu's personal defensive line trainer, Eddy McGilvra, shared that the NFL vet Latu reminds him the most is none other than T.J. Watt.
On top of training Latu, McGilvera works with many top defensive linemen in the NFL. Some of his clients include:
- Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
- Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers
- Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
- Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
- Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts
- Samson Ebukam, Indianapolis Colts
- Dayo Odeyingbo, Indianapolis Colts
So, it's safe to say that McGilvera has seen greatness on the defensive line, and I don't take it lightly that he threw out such a strong pro comp for Latu's game. I reached out to McGilvera to ask him for more details on the similarities he sees between Latu and Watt. Here is what he shared with me:
"If you watch Latu rush, it’s very similar movement progressions to TJ (Watt). Getting the edge by setting up power footwork & cross-club-rip is a go-to for TJ, and the same is true for Latu.
They both have the ability to turn a corner against a OT and not have to slow down. Incredible ankle flexibility & hip mobility. They also are very slippery once engaged. They use the OLs leverage against them to get off blocks. Also in coverage when they drop they make plays."- Private Defensive Line Coach Eddy McGilvera
To end our conversation, McGilvera made a bold prediction about the type of production the Colts will get out of Latu, and he thinks it will happen during his rookie contract.
"I think Latu has a 20+ sack season in him over the next 3-5 years" - Eddy McGilvera
After hearing McGilvera speak on the similarities between Latu and Watt, I decided to compare the two in some key areas.
Size
The two are nearly identical in size. Latu measures 6'4 "and weighs 259 lbs. Watt is 6'4" and weighs 252 lbs. Watt's arms measure 33.125" long, which is less than an inch longer than Latu's arms, which measure 32.625".
College Production
Watt played two years of college football at Wisconsin but only had one season of NFL-caliber tape. That came during his final college season in 2016, where he set his college career highs with 63 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks in 14 games. During his final college season, Latu recorded 49 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 13.0 sacks in just 12 games. These numbers are pretty similar, with Latu having a clear edge. A big difference, though, is Latu had two seasons of NFL-caliber production, with him recording 36 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks during his junior season in 2022.
Athletic testing
Latu and Watt's 40-yard dash times were separated by just .05, with Watt recording a 4.69 and Latu a 4.64; their 20-yard splits were even closer, with Watt's being 2.71 and Latu just .01 secs faster at 2.7. Their explosive testing is the most significant difference, with Watt grading out in elite territory with a 37" vertical and 10'8" broad jump compared to Latu, who graded out as just slightly above average with a 32" vertical and a 9'8" broad jump.
Below are both Latu and Watt's Relative Athletic Scores:
