SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Update: 6:55 p.m.
Laiatu Latu was drafted 15th overall to the Indianapolis Colts. Latu was graduate of Jesuit High School in Carmichael.
Original Story:
A Sacramento native in the NFL draft could be taken among the top 20 players, according to the Associated Press.
Laiatu Latu was a graduate of Jesuit High School in Carmichael. He stands at 6'4 and 259 pounds. He was originally a Washington Huskies football commit, but he was forced to medically retire after two seasons due to a neck injury in 2020. He transferred to UCLA. After being medically cleared, he had 23.5 sacks in two seasons.
According to the AP scouting report, he's described as a skilled and technically proficient pass rusher with good size.
According to the NFL, he won the Lombardi Award in 2023 and the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the top defensive end in the country. His other honors include Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Pac-12 Conference and finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year Award.
While he could be taken among the top 20, his medical history could also knock him out of the first round.
NFL Draft in Context
NFL teams in need of immediate help on defense will have a tricky time finding it in the first round or two of this year's draft.
As usual, edge rushers and cornerbacks will be the most highly valued defensive players. But the best of those groups don't quite stack up to their peers in recent drafts. Highly rated front seven players will be especially hard to find.
The result could be teams in need of defense trading down with teams looking to grab one of the many high-end receivers and offensive tackles.
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