Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA: Scouting Report

Height: 6’4

Weight: 265

Overall

Laiatu Latu is a long, athletic speed rusher in UCLA’s 3-4, rotational defense. He began his career at the University of Washington where over 3 seasons, he played in 12 games but did not record a single start. He then transferred to UCLA where over these past 2 seasons he played in 25 games, starting 12, all coming this most recent season. He was very productive during his time at UCLA and if he can continue to develop he can be a big playmaker at the next level.

Pass Game

In the pass game, Latu played both on the edge and as a defensive end on the line of scrimmage. He has a quick first step and elite athleticism to get around linemen both on the edge and in the interior. He has an excellent inside swim move and shows fast hands to create separation and get linemen off-balanced. He also shows a swipe move and spin move on tape, adding to his pass rushing repertoire. His quickness and hand usage flashes often on tape. Against USC this past season he was nearly unguardable as he created pressure with both his speed on the edge, and quickness in the middle. While he has very good length, he has inconsistent bend struggles getting low enough to get under offensive tackles hands. He has very good strength but rarely creates pressure with any bull-rushes or other power moves. At times, he plays too high with his tall frame allowing linemen to get hands on the inside of his chest, taking him out of plays but with his quickness he is excellent at getting around the initial punch of offensive linemen. Once he gets to the quarterback he is a sufficient tackler but needs to be more consistent in not overrunning the target allowing them to step up in the pocket and escape. He occasionally dropped back into coverage and he has the athleticism to be successful in doing so in the NFL but he plays his best when he is rushing the quarterback.

Run Game

In the run game, Latu shows very good power and balance to set the edge and bounce runs to the inside. He does a good job of extending his arms after initial contact to create separation so he can find the designed running lane. As a tackler, he needs to be more aggressive in getting the ball-carrier to the ground. He shows very good effort in chasing down plays but at the point of attack he has inconsistent tackling skills, especially in space. Overall though he has the size and strength to control the line of scrimmage and he can be effective on both outside and inside runs, especially if he develops as a tackler.

Last Word

Latu has elite physical tools and shows the quickness as a pass rusher to be very effective at the next level. He projects best as a 3-4 outside linebacker where he can rush off the edge in a 7-technique or on the line of scrimmage as a 5-technique. He is a very versatile player and in the right system he can excel against the pass. With his versatility, he can play on all 3 downs and in multiple positions along the defensive line. While he was very productive at UCLA these past 2 seasons, his lack of overall playing experience is a concern. If he can continue to develop though, he has the tools to grow into a dynamic edge rusher throughout his career.

One-Liner: Laiatu Latu has elite quickness as a pass rusher and shows flashes of dominance on film and with further development against the run he can be a very good 3 down player in the NFL.

Grade: 6.7 (Solid Starter on All 3 Downs)

Games Watched: 2023 - USC, Oregon State, Arizona, Utah

Team Fits: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams