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 ā 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 ā 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
Check out photos from the Indianapolis Colts' practice on Thursday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in preparation for Week 5 versus the Las Vegas Raiders.


WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11

DE Laiatu Latu #97

CB Mike Hilton #33

CB Charvarius Ward #7, Shane Steichen Head Coach and Chris Hewitt - Pass Game Coordinator / Secondary Coach

CB Keydrain Calligan #29

DT Grover Stewart #90

DE Laiatu Latu #97, DE JT Tuimoloau #91 and Zane Fakes Strength and Conditioning Assistant

DE JT Tuimoloau #91

DL Laiatu Latu #97



LB Zaire Franklin #44

DL Laiatu Latu #97

CB Mike Hilton #33 and CB Johnathan Edwards #35

CB Mike Hilton #33 and CB Johnathan Edwards #35

DL Kwity Paye #51

DL Eric Johnson II #98

DL Kwity Paye #51

DL Samson Ebukam #52

DL Neville Gallimore #92

DT DeForest Buckner #99

DE Laiatu Latu #97

DE Laiatu Latu #97

DE Laiatu Latu #97 and Charlie Partridge Defensive Line

LB Zaire Franklin #44

WR Alec Pierce #14

TE Drew Ogletree #85 and TE Mo Alie-Cox #81

TJ Ingels Assistant to the Head Coach and WR Laquon Treadwell #13

WR Adonai Mitchell #10 and WR Laquon Treadwell #13

WR Alec Pierce #14

WR Adonai Mitchell #10

CB Mike Hilton #33

RB Jonathan Taylor #28

S Camryn Bynum #0

WR Ashton Dulin #16

P Rigoberto Sanchez #8

WR Josh Downs #1

RB Jonathan Taylor #28

WR Josh Downs #1

WR Adonai Mitchell #10

RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37

RB D.J. Giddens #21, RB Ameer Abdullah #26, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and DeAndre Smith Running Backs

RB DJ Giddens #21

Diego Ortiz - Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellow, RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37, DeAndre Smith Running Backs and RB Ameer Abdullah #26

RB Jonathan Taylor #28

RB Ameer Abdullah #26, Brad Powers Equipment and RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37

QB Daniel Jones #17 and QB Riley Leonard #15

P Rigoberto Sanchez #8, K Spencer Shrader #3 and LS Luke Rhodes #46

TE Tyler Warren #84

QB Daniel Jones #17

LS Luke Rhodes #46

LB Segun Olubi #50

LS Luke Rhodes #46

P Rigoberto Sanchez #8

TE Tyler Warren #84

TE Tyler Warren #84

WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11

WR Josh Downs #1

WR Josh Downs #1

RB Jonathan Taylor #28

TE Tyler Warren #84

QB Daniel Jones #17

S Camryn Bynum #0

QB Daniel Jones #17

S Camryn Bynum #0

CB Mekhi Blackmon #29

WR Josh Downs #1

WR Alec Pierce #14

CB Mekhi Blackmon #29

WR Alec Pierce #14

WR Josh Downs #1

G Quenton Nelson #56

WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11

TE Tyler Warren #84

WR Coleman Owen #9

RB DJ Giddens #21

CB Chris Lammons #38

S Trey Washington #41 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11

RB Ameer Abdullah #26

CB Jonathan Edwards #35

WR Alec Pierce #14

QB Anthony Richardson #5

WR Coleman Owen #9

G Tanor Bortolini #60












