The UCLA Bruins are hoping to take star pass rusher Laiatu Latu in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. Latu is special to the Bruins, as he had 13 sacks in 12 games last year.
His ability to get to the backfield with ease makes potential NFL teams dream of having him on their team. Latu has a drive to never stop playing, and that should translate well to the NFL.
However, in a recent NFL mock draft conducted by Fox Sports, Latu fell to the 29th pick, landing with the Detroit Lions and head coach Dan Campbell.
“I have no compunction about Latu falling to the Lions, but then again, who would be shocked? Detroit has a very good draft under general manager Brad Holmes. He's shown a desire to only get good players. Latu is in the rotation, with Marcus Davenport facing Aidan Hutchinson and now DJ Reeder and the always underrated Alim McNeil inside. Is it scary for everyone else in the NFC to be there? ”
It would be shocking to see Latu fall this far in the first round, but strange things have happened before. Latu suffered some injuries early in his college career, so teams may be a little worried about his future. But his production over the past two seasons has been great in mitigating any issues.
Taking Latu this far into the first round would be a steal for the Lions, and opposing offenses might cringe in fear at the thought of Latu defensively. It's an unlikely situation, but as long as you're a Lions supporter, it's fun to think about.
UCLA: UCLA Football: Where Laiatu Latu ranks in pre-draft Defensive Rookie of the Year odds
