Laiatu Latu may have had only one sack in the Colts' Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but it was a breakout game in terms of disruption for the 2024 first-round pick.
Pro Football Focus charted nine pressures generated by Latu, tied for the second-highest total for any player in Week 4:
| Player | Team | Week | Opponent | Total pressures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Cooper | DEN | 3 | @ LAC | 10 |
| Micah Parsons | GB | 4 | @ DAL | 10 |
| Will Anderson Jr. | HOU | 2 | vs. TB | 9 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | DET | 3 | @ BAL | 9 |
| Laiatu Latu | IND | 4 | @ LAR | 9 |
Latu's nine pressures were the most by a Colts player since defensive end Kwity Paye hit that mark against the New York Jets in Week 9 of the 2021 season, per Pro Football Focus.
While Latu only had four sacks and 38 total pressures in 2024, the Colts saw signs he would improve those numbers in 2025. And for Latu, the experience he got as a rookie has already proved valuable to him in the early stages of his second year in the NFL.
"As opposed to last year I just see a lot of things slowing down, one," Latu said, "and then I see a lot more at once."
Latu said he's been able to get to his counter moves quicker – so if the first pass rush move he tries doesn't work, he's able to hit another one that can get him into the pocket. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner saw Latu doing that back in the spring and summer, and it's no surprise to him Latu has started to have some success disrupting opposing quarterbacks this season.
"It was really big for himself, for the team, for his confidence in rushing," Buckner said. "I'm excited for him to stack those type of weeks."
Pro Football Focus tracks pass rush win rate, which shows at what percentage a defensive player is beating his blocker on a given snap. Latu, entering Week 5, is second only to Cleveland Browns all-universe player Myles Garrett among defensive ends:
| Player | Team | Pass rush snaps | Pass rush win% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | CLE | 110 | 35.4% |
| Laiatu Latu | IND | 74 | 29.7% |
| Will Anderson Jr. | HOU | 125 | 28.8% |
| Micah Parsons | GB | 131 | 28.2% |
| Jared Verse | LAR | 129 | 27.9% |
Latu missed the Colts' Week 2 win over the Denver Broncos with a hamstring injury but has played in three other games this year; in Weeks 1, 3 and 4, the Colts have 81 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus, the second-highest total in the NFL in those weeks behind only the Denver Broncos (91).
Pressures are one thing; sacks are another – and the Colts believe those will keep coming for Latu as he continues to consistently battle his way into the pocket to disrupt opposing quarterbacks.
"His savviness, his feel for the game, that's going to get him to be a potential high sack guy," defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. "But I love the way he set the edge. I love how he ran to the ball. He was a force in the run game as well as the rush that you saw. And he really has a savviness when he drops. We saw the pick he had (against) Miami. He had a couple of really good plays on Sunday that way. I'm a big Latu fan as you guys know, and I think he'll continue to improve as the season goes on."
Thursday's practice report
