Colts' Best Offseason Decision Revealed by PFF

The Indianapolis Colts upgraded the defense with Laiatu Latu, but was it the team's best offseason decision?

Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks to the media Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024 at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, the Colts Complex. / Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Although the Indianapolis Colts finished last season with 51 team sacks, they entered the 2024 NFL draft on the hunt for some pass-rushing upgrades. The Colts would select UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu with the No. 15 overall pick in the draft.

Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema, one of the national media's top draft voices, liked the Latu pick, crediting the selection as the Colts' best offseason decision.

"Although the Colts finished 2023 as a top-five team in volume of sacks (51), they ranked 23rd in total pressures (279) and 23rd in pressure percentage (31.9%). Enter UCLA pass-rusher Laiatu Latu, a top-five finisher in the FBS in sacks, total pressures and pass-rush win percentage over the past two years.

"The Colts impressively recognized their need for pass-rushing talent despite the high sack total, and that should pay dividends in 2024," Sikkema wrote.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

The Colts now have an intriguing corps of inside/out pass rushers. Latu joins Samson Ebukam, who led the Colts in sacks last year (9.5), Kwity Paye (8.5), and Dayo Odeyingbo (8.0) on the outside.

With the formidable presence that is DeForest Buckner (8.0) pushing the pocket from the inside, the Colts are set up to have a fierce rotation of edge rushers in 2024. Ebukam, Paye, and Odeyingbo combining for 26 sacks last year is nothing to shake a stick at, but the Colts are still in search of that 'Batman' type edge rusher.

The hope is that Latu can quickly develop into that No. 1-type pass rusher, and give the Colts a true marquee guy on the edge. He was viewed by many draft experts as the best pure pass rusher in the class, so given a little time to develop, he has the potential of being something special.

"I want to give my all to this program, and I want to be able to go out there and be that guy on third downs, and any other passing down, where I'm affecting the quarterback in any other way," Latu said back in May. "For them to rely on me in those situations where they know I'm going to win if they put me out there for that rush."

Learning behind veterans like Ebukam and Paye can only help accelerate Latu's learning curve, as he acclimates to the speed, power, and technical prowess of the NFL game. Colts fans will get the next look at Latu when training camp kicks off on July 25.

---

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.