We are getting closer and closer to the draft. Now that the Eagles have made a few moves in free agency, we are getting a clearer idea of what their needs in the draft will be. They added a Safety, but no corner. Plus with Howie, you can pretty much always include Offensive and Defensive Linemen amongst their needs, even when it doesn’t seem like it would be. Which brings us to our latest player preview. Laiatu Latu out of UCLA.

Edge Rusher doesn’t need to be a need for the Eagles. They have Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick, plus they just added Bryce Huff. But trade rumors have swirled around Reddick and Sweat. One or both could be traded. Sweat is on the last year of his deal, and Reddick wants a bump in pay. It is a very real possibility the Eagles go Edge-Rusher in the draft. Eagles fans may not like it. We might be begging Howie to finally grab a corner with a premium pick. But as long as Howie is in charge, you can’t rule out the Eagles taking linemen.

If they do, Laiatu Latu will be one of their main options. He was one of the most productive pass rushers in college the past two seasons. But there are a few concerns about him as a prospect.

Read More About The Draft Here:

• Tyrone Johnson- NFL Mock Draft 1.0
• 5 Things To Know About Cooper DeJean- Eagles Prospect Preview
• 5 Things To Know About Kool-Aid McKinstry- Eagles Prospect Preview
• The Eagles History At Pick 22 In the NFL Draft

Can his production carry over to the NFL? What thing from his past has him drawing comparisons to an infamous Eagles Bust? Should we be concerned about a past injury that almost ended his career? Lets get to know Laiatu Latu a bit better.

Here are 5 things you should know about Edge-Rusher Laiatu Latu:

• Great Production The Past Two Seasons

  In 2023, Latu was 4th in the nation with 13 sacks. In 2022 he was 8th with 10.5. He is the only player in College football with double-digit sacks in each of the past two seasons.

  His pass rush win rate of 26.2% is as elite as it gets. For reference, only two players in the NFL had a higher pass rush win rate. Will that 26.2% translate perfectly to the NFL? No. But even if you take 5% off he would still be in the top 10. And he was not a boom-or-bust guy. Look across all 13 games he played, it was a consistent pass rush, earning a positive or elite grade from PFF in all 13 games.

  The key to his success is that he is a Swiss Army Knife. Scouts praise his huge repertoire of pass-rush moves. he can beat you outside, inside. He can run through you, spin around you. They say the way he uses his hands, is elite. Is he the greatest athlete ever? Maybe not, though it’s not like he is unathletic. But it is his skill that makes him standout.

  Austin Gayle on Twitter: "UCLA's Laiatu Latu (#15) was unblockable against Coastal. pic.twitter.com/QuY1EAxR2e / Twitter"

  UCLA's Laiatu Latu (#15) was unblockable against Coastal. pic.twitter.com/QuY1EAxR2e

• A Neck Injury Almost Ended His Career

  A few years ago, it seemed like his football career was over. He took a hit in a pre-season practice while still at Washington. He said it didn’t even feel like a big deal at the time. Latu figured it was something he could work through. But the numbness never went away.

  So he had to sit out one game, which turned into two. Before he knew it, he missed the entire 2020 season. Latu tried surgeries, but they didn’t solve anything. Multiple doctors and surgeons told him playing again was too dangerous, and suggested he medically retire from the game.

  His LB Coach and mentor Ikaika Malloe never gave up on him though. He kept them around the Huskies’ locker room even though he couldn’t play. When Malloe took a job with UCLA, Latu followed in the transfer portal. Eventually, he got the news he had been waiting for, a doctor cleared him to play. We saw him go on to put up elite production, almost like he was making up for lost time.

  The story is inspiring. But the neck injury is a concern. It clearly hasn’t kept him from being productive. But could it limit him throughout his career? Could he reinjure it? At least according to Latu himself, he has heard no concerns from NFL Scouts. They didn’t make him do any extra tests they don’t make other players do. No medical exams. They just treated him like any other player. So from the outside, it seems like people around the NFL don’t think it is an issue. That said, it is hard to see a nearly career-ending neck injury as nothing. it is something to keep ion mind at the very least.

  James H. Williams covers UCLA football on Twitter: "UCLA linebacker Laiatu Latu talks about his return to the football field after missing the past two seasons and medically retiring due to a neck injury. @laiatu_latu joined the Bruins as a transfer from Washington this year. pic.twitter.com/X3x0qpK9WZ / Twitter"

  UCLA linebacker Laiatu Latu talks about his return to the football field after missing the past two seasons and medically retiring due to a neck injury. @laiatu_latu joined the Bruins as a transfer from Washington this year. pic.twitter.com/X3x0qpK9WZ

• Good Against The Run Too

  He is not just a pass rusher. He also consistently scored positive grades against the run. Is he as elite at that part of the game as he is as a pass rusher? No. But at the very least he won’t be a liability there. He is good against the run for the same reason he is good as a pass rusher. He beats his man consistently, and he is often free to make a play. That might be a sack, it might be a tackle. In either case, often finds himself free to be a playmaker.

  Jackson Powers on Twitter: "Laiatu Latu really intrigues me (left side 4i)Hybrid inside-out player who excels as a run defender and fits in any front pic.twitter.com/rvT5E0CUmQ / Twitter"

  Laiatu Latu really intrigues me (left side 4i)Hybrid inside-out player who excels as a run defender and fits in any front pic.twitter.com/rvT5E0CUmQ

• Wants To Be A Firefight

  This is the thing Eagles fans won’t like to hear. Latu has aspirations to be a firefighter. When he was out of Football for a couple of years, he volunteered as a firefighter. And at the Combine, he said that if football doesn’t work out, that is the career path he would pursue.

  This of course makes any Eagles fan think of Danny Watkins. One of the biggest busts in team history. They drafted him, seemingly out of nowhere, in the first round, and he lasted only two seasons.

  The comparison is a bit unfair though. For one, Latu is 3 years younger than Watkins. But also, it would be impossible to doubt Latu’s commitment to Football knowing his story. He risked a lot to make his return. Multiple doctors told him he should never play again. He pushed through because of how much he loves the game.

  “I’ve been dreaming of the NFL since I was a kid, and I never gave up on it all,” Latu said at the NFl Combine “… I just understood what I wanted to do and that I wanted to get back to playing football again. … [The neck] was never a concern for them.”

  If he was more interested in being a fireman than playing football, he would not have pushed so hard to play again. He would already be a fireman. Watkins wasn’t bad because he was a firefighter. He was just not a very good football player and didn’t seem to be dedicated to the sport. Latu may be more dedicated than anyone though.

  Devin Jackson on Twitter: "#UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu says he really got into firefighting when he was medically retired at Washington. Says if football doesn't end up working out, he would like to get back into it and eventually work his way up to Fire Chief. pic.twitter.com/guwwF6o8d0 / Twitter"

  UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu says he really got into firefighting when he was medically retired at Washington. Says if football doesn't end up working out, he would like to get back into it and eventually work his way up to Fire Chief. pic.twitter.com/guwwF6o8d0

   

• A Background In Rugby

  If they did take him, Mailata would have someone to talk Rugby with. While Latu rose to fame as a football player, he also excelled at Rugby in high school. Jesuit High School is one of the premier Rugby Teams in the nation, and Latu was a star for them.

  John Shorey coached the team for over 23 years. He led them to nearly a dozen national titles and has placed multiple athletes on the U.S. National Rugby team. But even he will tell you he hasn’t seen anyone quite like Latu.

  “There was a couple times he hit people so hard we didn’t know if that kid would get up. And to be quite honest with you, a lot of people didn’t want to tackle him. So there was a lot of people kind of tripping on the grass before they got to him so they didn’t have to deal with him.”- Jesuit Rugby Coach John Shorey via The Seattle Times.

  They won two National Titles while Latu was there. He eventually chose to pursue a career in Football instead. But the physicality he brought to Rugby shows up in his football game too.

  LAIATU on Twitter: "Thank you Jesuit Rugby for everything... We National Champz🤩🏆 pic.twitter.com/6ptQHbijLk / Twitter"

  Thank you Jesuit Rugby for everything... We National Champz🤩🏆 pic.twitter.com/6ptQHbijLk

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