NFL Teams Are Split on Laiatu Latu's Medicals

After suffering a neck injury at Washington that forced him to medically retire, NFL teams are split on Laiatu Latu.

Oct 21, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Laiatu Latu (15) after / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Draft process is a difficult one for multiple reasons. Not only are you trying to find players who have the talent to play in the NFL but you are also trying to make sure that the person is right for your franchise. That includes both personality and physically.

Medicals are one of the more difficult conversations a team can have about a player. There are so many nuances with each individual person that need to be taken in to consideration and not every instance is the same.

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA defensive lineman Laiatu Latu (DL42) works out during the / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One of those players this year is UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu. He was forced to medically retire from Washington due to a neck injury and that is a scary injury when you look forward. CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones notes that NFL teams are split on him.

It's really hard to pin down where Laiatu Latu is going to be picked. Teams generally agree he's the best pass rusher in this year's draft, but he has a serious medical history that will give some teams pause. Most of the clubs I talk to tell me they've either passed him or "yellow" flagged him. I haven't heard directly from a team who has taken him off their board but others apparently have. The talent is undeniable, and it'll come down to if the team picking is comfortable with their medical evaluation of his neck.

The interesting note from Jones is that no team that he talked with directly have taken them off their board but some have. Yellow flags don't necessarily disqualify you but it is worth noting that it could end up being a deciding factor in draft rooms when having discussions about him.