Laiatu Latu — NFL Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

The Saints move down eight spots and still get the third edge rusher off the board. Laiatu Latu, who may slip because of his medical history, is one of the best pass rushers in this class when he's on the field.

In lieu of trying to replace Aaron Donald, which isn't possible, the Rams might look to address the pass-rush unit in other ways. Latu's injury history is worrisome for a Round 1 pick, but his effort and technical savvy could make him a great value if he stays on the field.

The Bengals go with the Best Player Available strategy here, grabbing a pass-rushing technician in Latu. The former UCLA star is incredible with his hands, constantly swiping, chopping, and clubbing his way past offensive linemen and into the pocket. He'll give a boost to the Cincy pass-rush rotation, and should look great out there alongside Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, and last year's first-rounder, Myles Murphy.

I've heard the mantra of "QB at 1, WR at 9" from Bears fans this offseason, but with the recent acquisition of Pro Bowl wideout Keenan Allen, GM Ryan Poles shifts his attention to bolstering a blossoming defense by adding a skilled pass rusher to help last year's trade-deadline pickup, Montez Sweat.

With Aaron Donald gone, they need to get help on the edge to help improve the rush. They have some good, young down players, but need edge help. Laiatu Latu can be that guy.

You won't find a more productive pass-rusher in this class. Latu put on a clinic in pass rushing the past two years at UCLA, posting 23.5 sacks and 112 pressures. He has excellent hand usage and really good upper-body strength in his pass-rush moves. And with his 6-5, 259-pound frame, first-step quickness and the bend to execute on all three downs, he would slot in well as a standup rusher with the Bucs' 3-4 scheme. Latu reminds me of the Bucs' 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, whose fifth-year option decision for 2025 is due right after the draft.

Latu has great get-off speed and fundamentals. He had 23.5 sacks in his two seasons with UCLA, and the biggest question about him at this point will be medical-related. Latu suffered a neck injury at Washington that forced him to medically retire in 2020 before transferring and returning to the field two years later. But the skill and production are absolutely there. Even with the recent addition of Marcus Davenport on a one-year deal, the Lions could use another pass-rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

Taking an interior presence might have been too on the nose for the team that lost retiring all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald. That doesn't mean skipping the D-line altogether. Some scouts have Latu's pass-rushing chops at the top of this class. As long as the medical staff is good with assessing the 6-foot-4, 261-pound edge rusher who retired in 2021 with a neck injury before returning, the Rams add a weapon for their post-Donald world.