UCLA Football: Colts GM Explains Thinking Behind Laiatu Latu Draft Pick
The Bruins standout is heading to the AFC South.
Former All-American UCLA Bruins defensive end Laiatu Latu is Indianapolis Colts-bound!
The 6'5", 259-pound two-time All-Pac-12 First Teamer was selected with the No. 15 pick in the first round of last night's NFL draft. He was the top defensive pick in the draft.
After the pick was made, team general manager Chris Ballard explained his thinking regarding the pick, per George Bremer of the CNHI Sports Indiana.
"We think we got the best defensive player in the draft," Ballard said. "I thought we got a little lucky."
Not only did Ballard think Latu was the best defender on the board, he also thought the Morris Trophy, Ted Hendricks Award and Lombardi Award winner was one of his five favorite players in the draft, period.
Ballard opined there were only four or five top prospects in this year's class, "and [Laiatu] was one of them."
When asked to pick a standout UCLA moment that represented a top highlight of Latu's defensive prowess, Bremer relays that Ballard said simply, "You can put on USC."
In that 38-20 obliteration of the Trojans, Latu logged seven total tackles (five solo) and two sacks.
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