Notes from 2024 UCLA and Penn State Pro Days: Edge rushers shine as Laiatu Latu leads the way
Most of the league made their way to State College for Penn State pro day, a team that has two first-round picks. Meanwhile UCLA pro day was highlighted by several defensive front seven players, including one expected to end up in round one
Notes from 2024 UCLA Pro Day
Edge rusher Laiatu Latu wasn’t expecting to do much. Rather, he intended to rest following his terrific performance from the Combine.
Yet when the workout began, Latu had a change of heart. Realizing that many of the scouts on hand came to see him, he took over the event. I’m told Latu looked great in drills, easily moving around the field and displaying a lot of quickness.
He was run almost solely through pass rushing drills and didn’t do many drops or coverage drills.
The New England Patriots met with Latu, as did the Miami Dolphins, who have shown a lot of interest in the pass rusher. While pass rusher is not the most pressing need for Miami, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are both rehabbing from major lower leg injuries sustained during the second half of last season.
Couple that with the likelihood center Jackson Powers-Johnson of Oregon will be off the board when the Dolphins are called to the clock, and Latu is a distinct possibility.
The Murphy brothers also had an impressive workout at pro day. Gabriel Murphy stood on his Combine numbers but did run the short shuttle in 4.31 seconds.
His twin brother Grayson, a Combine snub, timed the 40 in 4.52 seconds and was slightly slower than his brother in the short shuttle, with 4.33 seconds. He also hit 37 inches in the vertical jump as well as 10-feet-5 in the broad jump.
Scouts worked the brothers hard in both pass rushing and coverage drills, and both looked exceedingly athletic. They showed terrific ability as well as hands in coverage, key as the brothers tip the scale at a lean 250 pounds.
Gabriel met with the Patriots last night, while Grayson has an official 30 visit set up with the Seahawks. Coaches from the Patriots and Dolphins ran the workout.
Notes from 2024 Penn State Pro Day
I was told both Chop Robinson and Olu Fashanu, both first round picks, rested on their Combine numbers.
Edge rusher Adisa Isaac looked sharp in drills after running the short shuttle and three cone. Unofficial times for Isaac were 4.26 seconds in the short shuttle and 6.99 seconds in the 3 cone, the latter being an exceptional mark.
The Carolina Panthers, now in need of an edge rusher after trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants, ran Isaac primarily through pass rushing drills but did a few coverage drills and looked smooth in his drops.
Isaac met with the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings. He cemented himself as a day two pick at pro day. Cornerback Kalen King improved his 40 time from the Combine, timing as fast as 4.52 seconds, one-tenth faster than his mark from Indianapolis.