As is always the case this time of the year, practice reps and highlights need to be taken with a grain of salt. But with that said, first impressions are important too, and from the sounds of it, Colts’ first-round pick Laiatu Latu looked the part at rookie minicamp.
James Boyd, who covers the Colts for The Athletic and was at the two rookie minicamp practices, had this to say:
“This rep was pretty much like all of the others Colts DE Laiatu Latu had during the first two days of rookie minicamp. He was just on a completely different level, which is to be expected from a first-round pick. Very interested to see him in regular camp against better comp.”
Here is the pass rush rep that Boyd was referencing:
Up and at ‘em. pic.twitter.com/jCfpswjFtR
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 12, 2024
Another caveat that I’ll add, in addition to it being mid-May, is that the level of competition Latu was going up against this weekend is far different than what he will face in training camp when he’s matched up against Braden Smith and Bernhard Raimann.
However, you can also only compete against whoever is across from you, and Latu did what is expected of a first-round talent–win.
“It just feels like home,” said Latu about being back on the practice field. “Definitely getting the body used to it after trying to work for times and stuff like that, but now it’s all technique, all ball. I love it.”
Latu joins the Colts after two highly productive seasons with UCLA, where he was one of the more disruptive pass rushers in college football. Latu’s 65 pressures in 2022 were the fourth-most, and his 62 pressures this past season were the fifth-most. Latu also ranked first in pass-rush win rate in 2023 as well.
The Colts’ defense is coming off a season where they recorded the fifth-most sacks in the NFL, but more pass-rush consistency is needed after also ranking 23rd in total pressures and 22nd in pressure rate.