Film Room: TE Keleki Latu adds solid depth to shallow room

What should Washington Huskies fans expect from new tight end Keleki Latu?

Tight end has been a major need for the Washington Huskies all offseason, which was finally addressed with the addition of Nevada transfer Keleki Latu, the younger brother of former Husky edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who was forced to medically retire before transferring to UCLA and being selected in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts.

While Keleki doesn’t have the same level of hype surrounding him as his brother, he is joining a team that will be very grateful for his presence. With the coaching staff looking to run a notable amount of 12 (1 running back, 2 tight ends) personnel, getting another experienced option to supplement presumed starter Quentin Moore was a must.

Latu was the primary starter for the Wolfpack last season before suffering a season-ending injury against UNLV. That game was shaping up to be his best of the season as he was averaging over 20 yards per catch. As an every-down player for Nevada after transferring from California, he has plenty of experience that he can draw from as he joins the Huskies.

Versatility will be one of the big selling points of his game. He has plenty of reps from a traditional inline position and appears comfortable when flexed out into the slot or on the outside of the formation.

The clip below showcases Latu’s longest gain of the year and some of the momentum he was building before his injury.

While he isn’t a dynamic athlete, at 6-foot-7, Latu is a big-bodied target with a large catch radius. He will need to develop his ability to be more physical as a receiver, as he doesn’t use his body in a way that would be expected of someone his size. If he can improve at boxing out defenders and fighting through contact, he should also become a better separator.

Efficient route stems are his biggest concern upon his arrival in Seattle. He struggles to fight through contact at the top of routes and as a stiffer player, he won’t be able to create separations with those breaks.

Latu will bring most of his immediate value to the team as an inline tight end who can thrive up the seam and at times as a blocker. At his height, it can be a struggle for him to consistently gain leverage over defenders but his refined technique, including excellent hand placement, will serve him well while transitioning to this role.

In the clip below, Latu gets out leveraged and flung out of the play allowing a tackle for loss.

Latu’s lack of aggressiveness as a blocker at times may serve as a drawback in an offense that will likely be based around the ground game. Lead blocking through lanes is not a strength for Latu, as he can struggle to engage with defenders quickly and keep lanes open.

That said, as a traditional blocker he is more than adequate. In the clips below, Latu displays some of his strengths as blocker including in the perimeter as a blocker on a screen against Texas State.

Due to Nevada’s anemic offense, it’s likely that we haven’t seen the best out of Latu at this point in his career. Tight ends coach Jordan Paopao, who quickly got freshman Decker DeGraaf up to speed, is a good match to help Latu refine his game.

Luckily, the Huskies should be comfortable with Moore as the primary tight end, allowing Latu to settle into a TE2 or TE3 role should DeGraaf be ready for a larger workload as the season goes on.