Video: Colts GM Says Team ‘Got Best F–king Rusher’ in 2024 NFL Draft in Laiatu Latu

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVApril 28, 2024

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The first 14 picks of the 2024 NFL draft were offensive players on Thursday, which gave the Indianapolis Colts the opportunity to select the best defender at No. 15.

And Chris Ballard believes they did with pass-rusher Laiatu Latu.

“We got the best f–king rusher in the draft” the general manager said while laughing in a team-posted video summarizing their draft picks:

Indianapolis Colts @ColtsDraft to compete. #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/Cf03uf8vGv

Latu was an All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in his final season at UCLA in 2023. He posted 49 tackles, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and two passes defended during a dominant campaign.

Indianapolis was 28th in the league in points allowed per game last season, so it certainly needed to address that side of the ball. Latu gives it an explosive pass-rusher who can get around offensive tackles on the edge and wreck opposing aerial attacks.

The Colts are in the same division as C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence and need as many players who can disrupt those passing games as possible.

And, to hear Ballard tell it, they got the best one available.