Could The Eagles Go With A Pass Rusher In The 2024 NFL Draft?
The Philadelphia Eagles have had a productive offseason so far in 2024. They have extended players and brought in marque free agents. However, the team could be short a pass rusher since the trade of Haason Reddick to the New York Jets just a few weeks ago. The upcoming draft gives them an opportunity to replace him with young and affordable talent.
One of the biggest names that could be there for the Eagles at number 22 is Laiatu Latu. This player out of UCLA nearly gave up football all together due to injury but he continues to rise up on draft boards across the league.
The Eagles Could Be Getting Their Next Premier Pass Rusher.
Laiatu Latu is a name that has been resonating in the world of college football and now is making waves as he transitions to the professional stage. Born on December 31, 2000, in Sacramento, California, Latu’s journey in football began at Jesuit High School, where his impressive performance earned him a four-star recruit status. He committed to the University of Washington, where his freshman year showed promise with 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
However, Latu’s career faced a significant hurdle when a neck injury during fall practices put his future in the sport in jeopardy. The team doctors at Washington deemed it too dangerous for him to continue playing, leading to an announcement of his retirement in 2021. But Latu’s passion for the game didn’t wane; he transferred to UCLA, where he was cleared to play, marking a return to the field.
In 2022, Latu’s impact was immediate, earning the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for week four after a stellar performance against Colorado. His season concluded with 10.5 sacks, and the following year, he started all 12 games, leading the nation in tackles for loss per game and ranking fourth nationally in sacks per game. His efforts didn’t go unnoticed as he became UCLA’s first-ever winner of both the Lombardi Award and the Ted Hendricks Award, among other honors.
He could be the perfect fit for the Eagles who now have to replace Haason Reddick. Latu could come in as a rotational piece and get more snaps as the season goes on. Philly will need to improve it's pass rush to be more competitive in 2024 and Latu could be a great pick.
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