UCLA Football: Laiatu Latu Given Player Comp to 4-Time NFL Pro Bowler

Matt Levine | Mar 29, 2024

UCLA Football Pro Day / Ric Tapia/GettyImages

The UCLA Bruins are expected to have one player taken in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. That would be defensive edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who put together a very impressive season for the Bruins in 2023.

Latu has been one of the better defensive players in the country over the last few years and it has gotten him noticed by potential NFL scouts. In 12 games for UCLA last season, Latu posted 49 total tackles, 21.5 of them for loss, and 13 sacks.

His ability to get to the quarterback and disrupt the backfield is special and has NFL defenses salivating to see what he can do at the next level. Latu may be one of the underrated defensive players in the draft, but he has been given a player comparison to a four-time NFL Pro Bowler.

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus looked at Latu's game and he has a similar profile to that of Los Angeles Chargers star defensive edge Joey Bosa.

“Among the players in the elite profile that Latu occupies is Joey Bosa, and one of the criticisms leveled at Bosa as a prospect was that he may have already maxed out his potential as a player. That criticism was focused on how close to his potential ceiling Bosa already was without giving enough weight to how good he already was.”

If Latu can be as productive as Bosa, he will be a steal in the draft. He is expected to land anywhere from the middle of the first round to the end of the first. His skill set can fit into almost any defensive scheme, giving teams a possible star in the making.

The Bruins defense improved heavily this past season, led by the play of Latu. He brought relevancy to them and will be looking to take his talents with him on Sundays going forward.