UCLA Football: New Mock Draft Shows Where Laiatu Latu Will Be Taken

Where will the star UCLA defender go?

It's NFL mock draft season, and your UCLA Bruins will be sending multiple players to the league next season. But one player in particular will be of interest to general managers across the NFL.

That would be edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who had a great season for the Bruins. Latu is projected to be a first-round pick this season and will be a great pickup for whichever team that drafts him.

Latu put together a special senior season, posting 49 total tackles in 12 games. He also added 13 sacks on the year and had 21.5 tackles for loss.

NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah has Latu staying close to home in his first NFL Mock Draft of the season. He has Latu being selected by the hometown Los Angeles Rams.

"I wouldn’t rule out a quarterback with this pick. The Rams could follow the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordan Love blueprint and begin developing a passer behind Matthew Stafford. If they don’t go that route, continuing to add pass rushers would be a smart move."

Per Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com

If Latu is drafted by the Rams, it would be a really cool story. He has been loved by the UCLA faithful, and fans would enjoy seeing him play for the hometown Rams.

Los Angeles needs another pass rusher, and Latu would fit the bill nicely. His ability to get to the quarterback should translate over well to the NFL, and he could pair alongside Aaron Donald on the defensive end of the field. 

Latu was the star of the dominant UCLA defense this past season, and his athleticism is off the charts. He can become an impact player early on in his NFL career, and teams understand this. 

He uses different tactical moves to get to his spot, and it's extremely fun to watch. Hopefully, we see him dominating every Sunday very soon.