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Eric Williams
NFC West Writer
In his quest to improve his game, UCLA’s Laiatu Latu has sought advice from one of the best in the business, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Latu said Crosby, T.J. Watt and fellow UCLA product Jaelan Phillips are NFL players he emulates because of their similar body type. Latu and Crosby share the same representation, and Latu said the two edge rushers have been sharing texts throughout the pre-draft process.
“He’s always working another move,” Latu said when asked what he likes about Crosby. “If the first move doesn’t work, he’s always countering back. If they stay on the counter, he’s always spinning back. It’s always something with him, and that’s what I’ve been trying to focus on, just how smooth I can be throwing as many moves as possible in a repetitive way.”
Latu is considered a technician by NFL draft analysts, one of the most polished pass rushers in this year’s draft. At 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds, Latu ran a 4.64-second 40-yard time and posted a 32-inch vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine last month — good numbers for a guy his size.
He went through positional drills and pass drops at his pro day last week, which drew representatives from 31 NFL teams, including Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce.
“That’s something I definitely wanted to showcase,” said Latu, who had two interceptions for the Bruins in 2023. “Just my versatility with dropping, flipping my hips and being able to break to the ball. Hand-eye coordination with dropping and running. I just wanted to show all that.”
FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang ranks Latu as the No. 16 prospect on his Big Board and the top edge rusher in the class.
“Latu comes with a pro-ready assortment of polished pass-rush moves, as well as prototypical size, strength and flexibility,” Rang said. “Some have concerns about a previous neck injury, but the tape and production [23.5 sacks in 25 games at UCLA] is…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/ucla-de-laiatu-latus-journey-from-medically-retired-to-first-round-prospect
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Publish date : 2024-03-18 20:05:35
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