ESPN analyst Matt Bowen not too long ago printed an article detailing his 20 favourite prospect-team suits forward of the NFL Draft in Detroit. Each prospect listed is projected to be drafted by the top of the second spherical, and the standards for essentially the most preferrred match relies on “ability units, scheme, potential and organizational wants.”
For the Seattle Seahawks, I used to be totally anticipating the umpteenth Troy Fautanu column. Surprisingly, that wasn’t the case. Bowen’s match for the Seattle Seahawks remains to be a Pac-12 participant and a former Washington Husky, however he closed out his faculty stint at UCLA.
EDGE Laiatu Latu to the Seahawks
Top: 6-5 | Weight: 259
Faculty: UCLA
The place Seattle might get him: Choose No. 16
Latu, essentially the most expert and refined pass-rusher within the 2024 class, might be used from a number of alignments underneath new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. Right here, Macdonald can use loaded fronts to scheme one-on-ones for Latu off the sting. He might play as a stand-up rusher to crate inside matchups or drop late to patrol the beneath zones in stress ideas.
Latu, who had 23.5 sacks over his closing two seasons at UCLA, has the traits to supply early in his rookie season. His 20% stress proportion final season ranked second within the FBS and was one of the best mark of any Energy 5 participant.
There’s little question that Latu is among the finest move rushers within the draft, and I feel it is sensible for the Seahawks to proceed investing on the place given the shortage of depth that was uncovered when Uchenna Nwosu went out final season. Boye Mafe made a significant second-year leap, however Derick Corridor was a non-factor, Darrell Taylor was inconsistent, and Frank Clark had nothing left. Whether or not which means utilizing a first-round choose on an edge is a special debate altogether, however I can see how Latu is seen as a attainable Seahawk.
The one warning relating to Latu is the truth that his profession very almost ended earlier than he even transferred to UCLA.
The Sacramento, California, native didn’t play in 2020 or 2021 after he was suggested to “medically retire” from soccer by the Washington employees. Latu had suffered a neck harm in preseason exercises for the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and later had surgical procedure — Latu stated Wednesday he had neck fusion surgical procedure — to attempt to restore lingering numbness.
Docs at Washington wouldn’t clear him to return and suggested him to not play soccer. His mom, Kerry, nevertheless, researched Latu’s harm and saved coming throughout Dr. Robert Watkins’ title earlier than arranging for Latu to see the famous again and neck surgeon in late 2021.
Latu stated Watkins cleared him to return to soccer after a battery of checks, however Washington would nonetheless not clear him to play for the Huskies. He transferred to UCLA in January 2022.
If for some purpose Latu drops in the course of the draft then it’s protected to imagine there’s some kind of concern about his well being. Other than that, he hasn’t missed a sport since he was medically cleared to return to soccer.
Right here’s a take a look at his highlights, together with some movie breakdown from Brett Kollmann.
