3 Top Prospects Who Could Surprisingly Fall to the Eagles at No. 22
By Jovan Alford
2. Laiatu Latu, UCLA
With there being so much attention on QB, WR, and CB, there’s a chance Latu could fall into the Eagles’ lap at No. 22 overall.
As of right now, Dallas Turner and Jared Verse are the first two projected pass rushers to be off the board in the first round. However, no one knows where Latu might land, who is coming off a great 2023 season at UCLA and might end up the best rusher in this class.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to watch Latu this season with the Bruins, he was a playmaker and game-wrecker. The 23-year-old EDGE rusher posted 49 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Despite his success over the last two years at UCLA, Latu is still raw as a pass rusher, but he could be the perfect option for new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The Eagles added Bryce Huff in free agency and restructured Josh Sweat’s contract, but they also traded away Haason Reddick, who had 27 sacks over the last two seasons.
Huff, Sweat, Nolan Smith Jr., and Brandon Graham will try to help fill in the void left by Reddick, but the Eagles need to get more depth and explosiveness off the edge, which Latu provides.