WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Indianapolis Colts first round draft pick Laiatu Latu is having the time of his life at his first Training Camp.
“Hell yeah (this is the most fun I’ve had in my career)!” Latu told Sports 8. “I get to do this on the biggest level with the best of the best.”
The Colts put the pads on for the first time this offseason Tuesday, and Latu’s talent shined even more. His speed, size and just pure athleticism jumps off the field, but what’s even more impressive is how easily he’s keeping up with the NFL speed and play calling during his first camp.
“It’s been great,” Latu said. “I would say that everything’s like slowing down for me as time slows down. Plays are sticking in my head. Techniques and fundamentals that I’m learning with Coach P’s sticking with me so definitely need to correct little things, get better each day, but the practices have been great. They’ve all been fun.”
Now that the pads are on, it’s even more clear why he was the first defensive player picked in this year’s draft.
“When you watch all these rushers in the draft, they’re all talented, but his motor that he has after plays, you can see it,” head coach Shane Steichen said. “Even if he gets around the edge and the quarterback steps up, boom, he is turning and running trying to go get them. That’s what really stood out to me about him was his relentless effort.”
Latu could be seeing a lot more time on the field this year. Last year’s sack leader Samson Ebukam is out for the season with a torn Achilles. Ebukam is one of Latu’s mentors.
That’s going to make this season even more meaningful for the first round pick.
“That’s my big bro,” Latu said Tuesday. “I was learning a lot from him. He’s been like a big brother to me since I got here, even before. Watch a lot of film on him so he’s just somebody I really look up to, so I really just want to go out here and play for him and do what he does on the field so that we’re not missing, doesn’t feel like we’re missing a link and we can just bounce back.”
Latu’s spending most of his time with the defensive starters. Even there, he’s standing out.
“I mean, (he’s a) great kid,” defensive end Tyquan Lewis said. “Eager to learn, fast learner. Hand talent is amazing. He’s efficient when it comes to hand fighting. You can tell he’s been working on that for quite a while.”
“He’s so athletic,” safety Julian Blackmon said. “I feel like he’s just really fast off the ball and he’s got a really great motor, so I’m really excited to see what he does.”
Learn how to say his name now because you just might be saying it all season long.
Local Indianapolis, IN
Most Popular
Comments / 0