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• A situation reminiscent of Aidan Hutchinson vs. Travon Walker: Hutchinson was the better prospect in terms of athletics, but Hutchinson has a proven track record. Latu’s chances of success are likely to be the same. The best pass-rush rate of any full-time edge rushing player from the Power Five in the last decade is 27.0%.
• Latu ranks highly in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric: He placed in the The 97th percentile will be reached in 2022, and the 99th in 2023.
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The NFL is still not a very good hit rate when it comes the NFL Draft. The league hasn’t cracked it yet because teams are trying to quantify two different things simultaneously: how good a player is now and how good they can be in the future.
This can lead to teams chasing theoretical gains that may never be realized, and overlooking better players in the present.
The pass rusher is the most obvious example of this dynamic. Two years ago the Jacksonville Jaguars A demonstrably superior player was passed up in Aidan Hutchinson The upside is chasing Travon Walker, He was the greatest athlete that the game had ever seen. Hutchinson had the edge in every way, but Walker was a better player. His theoretical potential and upside, as shown by his measurables, were what convinced the Jaguars to give him the No. He was the Jaguars’ No.
This year, the top edge rushers are playing out a similar story. Alabama‘s Dallas Turner The frame says that he is an amazing athlete and has had outstanding workouts. UCLA‘s Laiatu Latu Comparing the “limited” players.
The problem is that Latu is vastly undervalued.
Latu’s athleticism was compared to Turner, which led to a perception that he was average. Latu’s 40-second time of 4.64 seconds is in the 82nd per centile for edge rushers. His PFF Game Athleticism Score in 2022 was in the 99th per centile. Latu is an elite athlete on the field in real game situations.
Let’s return to his production.
Latu is one of the most productive edge-rusher prospects since PFF started grading college ball in 2014. This is important, because players at the top echelon have done very well on the next level.
Since 2014, 12 edge rushers have achieved a PFF grade of 91.0 over a single season in college. Eight of them were selected to the NFL Pro Bowl. Latu, however, is one of only four players who hasn’t. He has received pass-rushing grades of 91 and 94.3 the last two seasons.
Latu recorded 65 quarterback pressures last season, the most of any edge rusher in the Power Five. It is also the best mark of any full-time Edge Rusher over the past decade. He recorded 65 quarterback pressures during the 2017 season. The only other edge rusher with a higher pass rushing grade in a single season was Chase Young 2019
Latu, by any measure of production, is among the best edge rushers who have entered the league in recent times.
Unlike Travon Walker, Dallas Turner He has been a very productive player in his own right. However, he is still a considerable step behind Latu. Last season, he had a PFF pass-rushing score of 88.8. His pass-rush rate was 19.9%. Jared Verse In 2023, he achieved a 90.8 grade with a win percentage of 23.1%. But neither can match Latu’s performance.
Latu is one of the elite players in the world. Joey BosaBosa’s potential as a player was criticised as having been maxed out. The criticism was centered on how close Bosa was to his potential ceiling, without giving enough credit to how good Bosa was already.
Bosa entered the NFL as an NFL-caliber player. Even if his college career was never better, he would have been worth a high pick. Only injuries have hampered his impact as a NFL player.
Latu should be viewed in the same way. He may be nearer to his ceiling than Turner and Verse but he is a better player now than either. His pass rush moves are as good as they come, and he has already proven them on the field. Latu is the best pass rusher of recent years. His athleticism in game is unmatched.
NFL teams are inevitably attracted to players with potential. However, it is also important that a player’s performance is good right now. Latu, meanwhile, is already a star.
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