What are your thoughts on the Colts first round pick, Laiatu Latu?

With some initial surprise after the Colts pick, how are we feeling now?

Offense. Offense. More offense. Offense. Some more offense. That is how the 2024 NFL Draft started off. It was a historic night as the first fourteen picks went on one side of the ball. For a team that leaked like a sieve at times on the defensive side, the Indianapolis Colts were looking pretty when it was their turn on the clock. Every edge rusher, cornerback, linebacker, and safety were still on the board. I mean, all of them. Most fans thought Chris Ballard would go corner at that point, but can you believe he didn’t? Ballard instead chose Laiatu Latu out of UCLA with the Colts first selection.

Look, I am no draft expert, but I have been paying attention to prospects that the Colts would most likely be interested in acquiring. Latu was not a name I came across often at all. Because of that, I knew message boards would be buzzing with activity, most likely of the negative variety. People really seemed to latch on to the whole, “Of course, Ballard would select some with a broken neck who was told to medically retire. What a bum.” Fans wanted the flashy name that they had in their own mock draft or the one they had seen come up most commonly. Latu didn’t fit the bill for most fans.

I am not saying Ballard always gets it right. An edge rusher has been his white whale for some time now, and he hasn’t hit it out of the ballpark yet. I will say, however, I am going to put more faith into the work he and his team did to prepare for the draft than some armchair GM at home. Yes, Latu suffered a serious neck injury, but it sounds as if the medical staff at Washington didn’t do their due diligence when reviewing his recovery. Since they wouldn’t clear him, he went to UCLA in 2022 where he experienced zero issues or setbacks due to his neck. To simply believe he can’t play because of his neck is lazy fandom.

You know who else likes him? PFF. They labeled him a draft day steal. He is seen as one of the most polished and best defensive players in the draft. For the Colts to get him at fifteen is remarkable. Ballard changed his philosophy this year. Instead of simply taking a position of need or going off RAS, he found a player that already has the skills instead of just raw ability. Seeing players like Maxx Crosby praise him and having him compared to players such as the Bosas has to make fans excited.

The draft should never be fully judged the day after. We have no idea how careers are going to turn out, and there are really no slam dunks in the draft. This move does two things: it gives more fuel to an already dangerous defensive line, and it makes the fifth year option on Kwity Paye easier to maneuver. If Latu becomes what experts and the Colts believe he can, watch out. If not, someone else will be hunting for the next white whale at defensive end because Chris Ballard will be gone.