2024 Chiefs draft prospect: UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

Week 1 of the 2023 college football season is here. While the Kansas City Chiefs will soon kick off the 2023 NFL season, scouts are ready to watch NFL draft hopefuls across the NCAA. Even with the NFL season around the corner, it's important to pay attention to college football season, because who knows which […]

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor

Sep 2, 2023 9:45 AM EDT

Week 1 of the 2023 college football season is here.

While the Kansas City Chiefs will soon kick off the 2023 NFL season, scouts are ready to watch NFL draft hopefuls across the NCAA. Even with the NFL season around the corner, it's important to pay attention to college football season, because who knows which of these players will wind up playing in Arrowhead Stadium this time next year.

I've identified over 160 college prospects to keep an eye on ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, all of whom might be potential fits with the Chiefs. Below you'll find our first prospect on the defensive side of the ball.

UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 265 pounds

Class: Senior

Latu began his career with the Washington Huskies as a Freshman in 2019. He suffered a neck injury in the fall of his sophomore season that forced him to sit out in 2020 and to medically retire from football in 2021. He eventually entered the transfer portal with the goal of continuing his football-playing career. The UCLA Bruins brought him in and cleared him to play ahead of the 2022 college football season.

In 2022, he appeared in all 13 games as a backup outside linebacker for UCLA, recording a team-leading 12.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks to go with 36 total tackles, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass batted at the line. This year, he's set to be a starter for the Bruins' defense and he's got some big goals, like a First-Team All-American selection and leading the nation in sacks.

How does he fit in Kansas City?

The Chiefs have selected edge rushers in the first round of the draft in back-to-back seasons in George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Steve Spagnuolo always uses a healthy rotation at the position, and they'll likely lose Mike Danna in free agency in 2024.

While Latu will reach all the size and length thresholds for Spags, he also offers a different archetype than what the Chiefs currently have at the position. He's more of a finesse player when it comes to his pass-rush plan, using speed, bend, and quickness to beat his opponents around the edge. He can also frustrate guards and centers by lining up on the defensive interior in the NASCAR packages that Steve Spagnuolo often likes to employ. He's also surprisingly adept at setting the edge in the run game considering he's only played in 25 career games.

Obviously, the medical staff in Kansas City will have to clear Latu's neck injury. They'll have some recent experience to lean on given what they just went through with Justyn Ross.

Round estimation:

In terms of sheer talent, Latu has first-round potential in the 2024 NFL draft, but that might not come to fruition for him. The biggest factor in his draft status is going to be whether NFL doctors clear the neck injury that caused him to briefly medically retire from football. That type of injury can take a first-round talent and turn him into an undrafted free agent.