UCLA Football: New Mock Sees Laiatu Latu Drafted By LA NFL Franchise

Will he stay local after all?

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA defensive lineman Laiatu Latu (DL42) works out during this year's NFL Scouting Combine. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA Bruins senior edge Laiatu Latu finished out his NCAA career in style. The 6'5" defensive lineman enjoyed a decorated season while guiding the club through three starting quarterbacks. As the fulcrum of the No. 11-ranked defense in the country, Latu helped lead the team to a 2023 LA Bowl victory. Individually, he was honored with a 2024 Senior Bowl berth, a Ted Hendricks Award, the Lombardi Award, the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year Award, and the Morris Trophy. He was also named a unanimous All-American and made his second All-Pac-12 First Team, in the final year of the conference.

He finished with 49 tackles (29 solo), 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, two pass deflections and two interceptions.

Now, he's setting out for greener pastures, hoping to make a killing at the pro level.

In a fresh mock draft, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein predicts that Latu will be staying local during this spring's draft, pegging him to be selected by the LA Rams with the No. 19 pikc.

"The Rams really need to find an edge rusher to complement 2023 third-round hit Byron Young," Zierline writes. "This pick could come down to Latu vs. Chop Robinson. If everything checks out medically for Latu, it will be hard to pass on his game-ready rush talent."

After starting off with the Washington Huskies, Latu incurred a preseason neck injury as a sophomore that was ruled to be career-ending, compelling him to retire in 2021. He transferred to UCLA in 2022, and was subsequently cleared to suit up, emerging as perhaps the single-most lethal defender in the nation.