Watch as Indianapolis Colts’ defensive end Laiatu Latu goes through some offseason pass rush drills in preparation for his second NFL season.
Easy mover • @laiatu_latu
NFL off-season
Sac State edition pic.twitter.com/0PJSS27TeN— Coach Ed (@DlineCoachEd) February 14, 2025
Latu was the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft by the Colts and the first defender taken off the board.
He finished his rookie year with 38 pressures, according to PFF, which was the second-most on the Colts’ defense, and he totaled four sacks. We also saw Latu improve as a run defender as the season progressed.
When it comes to being a productive pass rusher, consistently winning your one-on-ones is crucial. Although Latu’s numbers on the surface won’t leap off the page, he did rank 27th out of all defensive ends last season in pass rush win rate, which can be a good indicator of long-term success.
Angles game
@laiatu_latu pic.twitter.com/ptHeK6u2rv
— Coach Ed (@DlineCoachEd) February 21, 2025
Oftentimes in a player’s second NFL season we seem them make the biggest jump. For one, they have a full offseason to work on their craft rather than going through the pre-draft process.
In addition to that, there is growth that often occurs from the just the added comfort that comes with having a season under your belt and knowing how to go about your days and adjusting to the play speed.
A Year 2 leap for Latu will be important for the Colts’ defensive front, especially if Dayo Odeyingbo signs elsewhere in free agency. As the Colts leading pressure getter last season, that’s a lot of production that will have to be replaced.
Among the topics covered during new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s introductory press conference last month was Latu, who Anarumo said he was a big fan of coming out of the draft.
Anarumo has spent the last several seasons working with Cincinnati pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.