Colts sign first-round draft pick Laiatu Latu, rookie contract details revealed

A 2024 NFL Draft class heavy with offensive prospects worked in favor of the Indianapolis Colts in April, affording them the ability to draft the first defensive player of the draft with the No. 15 overall pick. They took advantage of the trend by selecting UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu with their first pick, regarded by many as the most polished defender of the class.

Latu was officially a Colt after hearing his name called in Detroit, but now things are set in stone after he recently signed a 4-year, $17 million contract with Indianapolis. His signing bonus is worth $9.2 million.

The deal is fully guaranteed and comes with a fifth-year option for the team, which they could use to keep him through the 2028 season. He also shared on social media on Thursday that he’ll wear the No. 97 jersey for the Colts.

Latu has been one of the most dominant defenders across the entire college football landscape in the last two seasons. With his draft stock dropping in the eyes of some evaluators due to his problematic medical history. But following a historic run on offensive players in the draft, he fell in the lap of Indianapolis as a prospect they felt was impossible to pass up on and the best defensive player in the draft.

“We didn’t know if he’d get to us,” Colts General Manager Chris Ballard said. “I mean, I thought there was a couple spots in the top 10 that he could go. But that run on quarterbacks. When you get lucky enough to get six quarterbacks come off in front of you, we knew we were gonna have a chance to have a pretty good player and one of the best defensive players.”

Colts draft Latu to boost pass rush

After starting his college career at Washington, Latu was forced to medically retire from football after suffering a neck injury that required surgery and caused nerve issues. Missing out on the 2020 and 2021 football seasons before being medically cleared to play once again and transferring to UCLA, where for two years he’d be one the most productive defensive players in the country.

In 2023 Latu added the Lombardi Award, the Ted Hendricks Award, and the Polynesian Defensive Player of the Year honor to his lengthy list of accomplishments. Recording 85 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, and 23.5 sacks in his two seasons with the Bruins. Also forcing five fumbles and intercepting two passes as a disruptive force that the Colts are hoping can translate his game to the next level.

“I think he’s gonna produce pretty quickly as a rusher,” Ballard said. “I think he knows how to rush. Of course there’s going to be an adjustment period, as there is with any rookie rusher. He’s pretty polished. This guy’s a pretty polished product in terms of rushing. Of course you’re going to have to learn, especially against (NFL) tackles that are so good, and the protection schemes are so good. So that’ll be an adjustment for him. But he’s a smart kid. He’ll figure it out.”

Latu has a unique and effective skillset along with a litany of pass rush moves that could make him an instant star in the league. As he’ll look to live up to his draft selection and recently inked contract ahead of his rookie season with the Colts