The Denver Broncos recently welcomed UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu for a pre-draft visit, as reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Latu, standing at 6-5 and weighing 259 pounds, made a name for himself as a defensive end with the Bruins. However, if he's drafted by a team like the Broncos that operates a base 3-4 defense, he'd likely transition to an outside linebacker role.
Latu began his college journey at Washington, where he made 15 tackles and a half sack in his freshman year of 2019. His career hit a roadblock when he suffered a neck injury, forcing him to miss the 2020 and 2021 seasons. After transferring to UCLA, he was cleared to play in time for the 2022 season.
During his time with the Bruins, Latu showcased his skills with 85 tackles, including 34 behind the line of scrimmage. He also racked up an impressive 23.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries, three pass breakups, two interceptions, and one forced fumble across 25 games.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein sees similarities between Latu and T.J. Watt, a first-round pick from Wisconsin in 2017. Like Watt, Latu is expected to be a first-round prospect in this year's draft and could be a target for the Broncos with the 12th overall pick.
The 2024 NFL draft is set to take place in Detroit from April 25-27, where Latu and other top prospects will await their NFL destinies.
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