Dolphins Prospect Profile of UCLA Edge Laiatu Latu

The Miami Dolphins hold the 21st overall pick in the NFL Draft later this month. The Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier haven’t had a first-round pick in the last two selection processes. Their first picks over the previous two drafts, which were second and third-round selections, didn’t contribute as rookies. That must not be the case in 2024, as the selection must be an immediate impact player as a first-rounder. This is especially true considering what was lost in the off-season and what is missing from last season, albeit temporarily.

The temporary situation would be the injuries that were suffered by the bookend pass-rushing duo of Jalen Phillips and Bradley Chubb last season. More permanent were the departures of Andrew Van Ginkel via free agency and the release of Emmanuel Ogbah. Miami signed free agent Shaq Barrett to help with the sack production, but the Dolphins need more pass rush. A few names stick out when looking at this crop of rookie edges. The main one, whose stock is rising, could be gone by pick 21. However, if available, Miami should run their draft ticket to the podium to select Laiatu Latu.

Latu is arguably the top pass-rusher in the class following solid performances at the NFL Combine and his UCLA pro day.

Relative Athleticism Score (RAS)

Latu has impressive athleticism metrics. Created by Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network, RAS is a fun way to assess a prospect’s athletic intangibles. Following his pro day, Platte ranked Latu a 9.33/10. Good for 117th out of 1,738 defensive ends measured in RAS since 1987. The ranking supports what is evident in Latu’s athleticism. He has great length to play the edge position in the NFL and has outstanding burst getting off the line and out of his two or three-point stance stances. He is a disruptive force who can also play well in short coverage areas in the passing game.

At the combine, he ranked first among edge rushers in both Production Score (90) and Overall Score (80). At 6’5” and 259 pounds, Latu has agility and speed to mix with his size. He ran a 4.64 40-yard dash at the combine, placing him in the top 10 in this year’s class of edge rushers.

Immediate help and depth at the same time

Before going further, a significant neck injury kept Latu out for two full seasons while at Washington. Yet, after transferring to UCLA in 2022, Latu shined. He finished the season with 12.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles, earning First-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors. Latu followed that up with an incredible 2023. He recorded 13 sacks and led the FBS in tackles for loss with 21.5. He totaled 49 tackles and had a pair of interceptions and two forced fumbles. A Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year finalist, he won the Lombardi Award for the nation’s top Outside Linebacker/Defensive Lineman and the Ted Hendricks Award for the nation’s top defensive end. Latu was an Associated Press All-American and Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

New Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver would likely love a player like this to coach up and develop. Latu can play immediately across from Barrett, and once Phillips and Chubb return, the rookie could thrive in a reserve roll in rushing situations, rotationally. Should he progress, it could leave the Dolphins with an excellent trio of edge rushers for the foreseeable future. That assumes Miami picks up Jaelan Phillips’s fifth-year option or extends him. Should they elect not to have a future with Phillips, Latu is perhaps a perfect person to slide in across from Chubb. You can swap Phillips back in for Chubb if you want to create even more options to tinker with if you are Grier.

Regardless, Latu can give the Dolphins instant help, depth in the middle of the season and playoffs, and future flexibility within their edge rushing group.