UCLA Football: Bruins Star Defender Listed as Underrated Prospect Heading into NFL Draft

This UCLA prospect is getting some praise from Pro Football Focus...

Laiatu Latu / Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Laiatu Latu is a known commodity within NFL circles by this point.

The former UCLA Bruins star rush end put up terrific numbers over the last two years. His play on the field led to him garnering several postseason awards and accolades.

With the 2024 NFL Draft quickly approaching, many are wondering as to where he may land within the first round. Latu's production isn't a question -- but rather the neck issues he faced when at the University of Washington earlier in his career. Neck issues are understandably scary, and although Latu didn't face any issues during his two years in Los Angeles, NFL franchises are overly thorough in their examinations considering the millions of dollars they're going to invest in these players.

Due to that reason, it's conceivable to think Latu could drop somewhat in the first round despite objectively being a top-10 talent.

🤫 Jermaine Burton, Alabama
🤫 Troy Franklin, Oregon

Underrated Prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft⬇️https://t.co/mPOAGT6RKt

— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 18, 2024

Pro Football Focus recently came out with a piece that spoke about five of the most underrated players in this upcoming draft. Unsurprisingly, Latu was listed as one of those players.

PFF writer Sam Monson had this to say about the Bruins' star defensive end.

"There is nuance to the concept of being underrated. Latu is No. 16 on the consensus board, seen as a mid-first-round pick, but he is the third edge rusher and clearly viewed by many as a notable step down from the truly elite edge rusher prospects of the last decade. The PFF grading and his college production, however, suggest he belongs higher than that and with those top-tier prospects. Latu’s PFF grade last season was 96.3, and his pass-rush win rate was an absurd 26.2%. Only Chase Young has ever recorded a higher win rate over a single season with that kind of workload, and it was Latu’s second consecutive season of top-tier production. His athleticism was a question for many -- certainly when compared to an elite athlete like Dallas Turner -- but Latu’s workout at the NFL combine was better than people expected and his in-game athleticism as measured by tracking data and turned into PFF’s proprietary athleticism score -- PFF GAS -- was consistently elite. Latu scored in the 97th and then 99th percentile over the last two years in that area. His injury history is a concern, but on the field, Latu should be seen not only as the best edge rusher in this class but a top-10 selection overall."

For those teams in need of help off the edge, Latu seemingly would fit the bill terrifically well. As one can see from the metrics illustrated above, there's a ridiculous efficiency to Latu's game. Not only is he an explosive, athletic player, but he's also a consistent one.

It'll be fascinating to see which team rolls the proverbial dice on this immensely talented player.

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