Colts' DeForest Buckner, Laiatu Latu Could Be Unstoppable Force on DL

The Indianapolis Colts are poised to terrorize opposing quarterbacks with DeForest Buckner and Laiatu Latu on the defensive line.

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (99) sacks Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Jenna Watson-USA TODAY Sports

Since the Indianapolis Colts traded for DeForest Buckner in the spring of 2020, the team has tried to pair him with an elite pass rusher.

First, Justin Houston notched 8.0 sacks next to Buckner's 9.5 in 2020 as the pass rusher entered the twilight of his career. Next, Indy brought in Yannick Ngakoue, adding 9.5 sacks to Buckner's 8.0 in 2022, but failed to provide consistent pressure. Kwity Paye has steadily grown as a pass rusher, and Samson Ebukam had a career year in 2023, but neither is classified as an elite pass rusher by today's standards.

But there is a Colts' rookie who has been very impressive throughout the preseason and may finally be the type of pass-rushing presence that gives the Colts a scary counterpart for Buckner. Enter Laiatu Latu, the No.15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Latu has been a menace during training camp, consistently getting after the quarterback and looking every bit of the talent the Colts envisioned him to be.

"It's good to have Latu out there," head coach Shane Steichen said. "I mean he brings a lot of energy to our football team, a lot of pass rush that's going to help us this year.”

Latu has already been putting that pass rush on full display. In Thursday night's preseason matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, Latu lined up next to Buckner on the rookie's first snap of the game. The result was a race to the quarterback ending in Latu's first sack.

LATUUUUUUU. ❌

📺 Prime Video / FOX59 pic.twitter.com/nlksuYuEMP

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 23, 2024

“It felt really good," Latu admitted about the sack. "Rushing right by Buck too. So really just been – they've been giving me all the guidance I really need to be aware of my rush lanes and who I’m rushing with and stuff like that. Really just putting it out there on tape, so that was fun.”

Latu has immense potential at only 23 years old and wants to reach the same heights that Buckner has in his career. Buckner is a three-time Pro Bowler and was a first-team All-Pro in 2020. He has totaled 61 sacks in his career to go along with 80 tackles for loss and nine forced fumbles.

And that's not all. Since joining the Colts in 2020, Buckner ranks third in the NFL among defensive tackles in sacks (32.5), third in total pressures (210), eighth in pass rush win rate (14%), and ninth in tackles for loss (35). Buckner has set an incredible standard in Indy, motivating Latu and the others on the Colts' defensive line to get on the same level.

“I mean, he's just probably going to win like 100 percent of the time," Latu said about Buckner. "So, I’ve just got to be able to work off of him and stuff like that. But I mean it gives me more confidence and like more – I won't say, reassurance, but it makes me go even harder being on the end right next to him to try to work him and beat my man so that he doesn’t have to work too hard.”

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The Colts believe Latu can become the dominant pass rusher they have been searching for. Latu registered 23.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss in two seasons at UCLA after being forced to medically retire at Washington. He also totaled 126 pressures in those two seasons with an astounding 26.2% pass rush win rate in 2023.

Buckner already sees the type of player and person Latu is and what he brings to the team. After going through an offseason program with Latu, Buckner is reminded of another rookie pass rusher from his days with the San Francisco 49ers.

"I actually talked to Chris (Ballard) about this a couple days ago," Buckner said on "Up and Adams." "I was just telling him like, when I was with Nick (Bosa) his rookie year, him coming in just going through drills, seeing him in team, I was very encouraged seeing him, and I knew he was going to make a big difference for us moving forward.

"And Laiatu, (I have) the same vibes. I'm not going to lie. I know it's some big shoes and somebody to really follow, which is Nick Bosa, which is a former Defensive Player of the Year. But Laiatu definitely has all of the characteristics, all of the potential in his game. And just the guy, the man that he is. He definitely has what it takes."

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) walks across the field during the first day of the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp Thursday, July 25, 2024, at Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buckner is not one for hyperbole and would not compare Latu to Bosa if he did not mean it. Bosa, the No.2 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has become one of the most feared pass rushers in the league. He has amassed 53.5 sacks along with 72 tackles for loss and 141 quarterback hits in his five-year career. Bosa is also a four-time Pro Bowler and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022.

Buckner saw first-hand how Bosa took the league by storm in 2019. While most rookie pass rushers go through a learning curve when they get to the NFL, Bosa hit the ground running. Buckner sees the same refinement Bosa had in his game at a young age in Latu.

"The way they go through drills, just so polished," Buckner said, describing the similarities between Latu and Bosa. "His handwork is really good. He can find multiple ways to win. One thing I can say, he is a little taller than Nick, but he's slippery.

"I saw him in a rush last week, it was actually of Kenny Moore's interception (against the Denver Broncos), Laiatu brought the pressure towards the quarterback. I thought he was kind of done for in his rush and he kind of just changed levels and slipped under Garrett Boles and I was like, 'Oh!' I mean, I've seen it multiple times throughout the season with different guys around the league, but seeing it on our own team with Laiatu, he brings a different attribute to the mix."

Having Latu next to Buckner puts opposing offenses in a tough position to protect the quarterback. If attention is dedicated to Buckner, Latu gets a one-on-one look at the quarterback off the edge. If the double team is moved toward Latu, Buckner is freed up in the middle to collapse the pocket.

Teams must pick their poison when defending the Colts' pass rush this season. Everyone already knows what you will get out of Buckner. But if Latu reaches his potential, Indy may have assembled one of the fiercest pass-rushing duos in the NFL.

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