UCLA Football: Laiatu Latu Not Spotted at Senior Bowl Practice

Could Laiatu Latu skip the Senior Bowl?

Every year the Senior Bowl takes place, offering emerging NFL talent one more shot at impressing the professional scouts who arrive to see what kind of college talent they can get their hands on. 

While most players are not shoo-ins to be drafted, UCLA Bruins star defensive end Laiatu Latu is one of those players. Latu was one of the most dynamic players in 2023, securing both the Ted Hendricks Award and Lombardi Award for being one of the best defensive linemen in the game. 

While Latu skipped out on the LA Bowl, he agreed to play at the Senior Bowl, likely to improve his draft position even more. However, a day after showcasing his elite skill, he was not spotted at practice Thursday. 

No practice for UCLA ED Laiatu Latu here on day three of Senior Bowl. He’s on the field with his group, but no pads on. Only two days for him, but two strong days of work

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 1, 2024

Latu could just be getting some much-needed rest after dominating two days in a row, but his absence could also be concerning. The hope would be that he did not suffer any sort of injury. 

Again, not appearing at the Senior Bowl would not damage his draft potential, but we imagine the future NFL star is wanting to showcase his skills one final time. 

Latu is being viewed as a player who could be drafted into the top 10 picks in the first round, but a solid performance in the Senior Bowl could skyrocket his value into the top 5.

We hope that everything is ok with the young and dynamic defensive end, and we can see him get a few sacks in the Senior Bowl, slated to kick off on Saturday morning.