Colts NFL Draft Round 1 Reacts Survey Results: Grading the Laiatu Latu pick

Colts fans were generally pretty pleased with the team’s surprising first round selection of UCLA pass rusher Laitu Latu.

The Indianapolis Colts fans have spoken, and the Horseshoe faithful have narrowly given their newest first round pick, UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, a pretty solid mark—with a ‘B’ grade.

Specifically, 37% of Colts fans believe that the surprising selection of Latu, who wasn’t expected to actually be available with the 15th overall pick earned a B grade—with another 32% of the Horseshoe faithful believing that a superior A grade should’ve been the mark.

There’s no questioning Latu’s natural pass rushing ability, with a wide array of moves and counters at his disposal, to consistently get after the quarterback—showcasing his excellent hand usage, speed, and bend coming off the edge. He also was highly productive for the Bruins with 23.5 total sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss during the past two seasons.

The real issue regarding Latu—and presumably why he slid out of the Top 10 to midway through the first round to the Colts is that he’s had past serious spinal issues, having been medically advised to retire just two years ago. However, he underwent successful neck fusion surgery, and his production and durability over the past two seasons speaks for itself.

It’ll be interesting to see if those past spinal issues ultimately shorten or limit his playing career, but the Colts were willing to take the risk on a special sackmaster—after speaking with their medical staff and reviewing Latu’s medicals. If he’s a high-end pass rusher for the better part of the next decade, he’ll still be a big-time first round selection for the Colts.

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