Two young Indianapolis Colts players were named the top rookies for the team in 2024.
The Indianapolis Colts made nine picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, with Laiatu Latu being the 15th overall pick and first defender picked.
However, six of the nine made the roster to begin the season. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso analyzes grades for all 32 NFL rookie classes in 2024.
While the Colts didn’t get the best grade or rank (C- at 21st overall), Trapasso’s selection for the best of the bunch for Indy is interesting. The analyst went with Latu and fifth-round linebacker, Jaylon Carlies.
We’ll start with Latu; Trapasso has the rundown.
In terms of headlines or highlights, it was a quiet debut NFL campaign for Latu. He did finish with 38 pressures on 375 pass-rushing snaps.
– Chris Trapasso | CBS Sports
Latu didn’t light the world on fire in 2024. He was tasked with a larger role than previously wanted after Samson Ebukam went down before the season started with an Achilles injury. However, Latu impressed to a degree with 32 tackles, 4.0 sacks, and three fumbles forced.
His 38 pressures were second-best on the Colts only to Dayo Odeyingbo, showcasing that Latu is on the right track to becoming a solid player off the edge.
Trapasso then broke down his thoughts on the coverage blanket that is linebacker Carlies.
Carlies was the best value selection Indianapolis made, as the safety-turned-linebacker drafted in Round 1 had 36 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a pass breakup on just under 21% of the defensive snaps. The former Missouri star really flashed when healthy.
– Chris Trapasso | CBS Sports
As Trapasso mentions, Carlies showed flashes of serious capabilities in his 10 games that were limited due to injury. In that stretch, he had Pro Football Focus grades of 70.0 overall and 83.1 coverage.
Carlies concluded with 36 tackles (two for loss), a sack, and a pass defended. If Carlies can stay healthy for close to or all 17 games in 2025, it might give him enough time to break out and be more than Indy might have expected.
Also, the lingering free agency of E.J. Speed might lead to more playing time for Carlies alongside fellow linebacker in the second level, Zaire Franklin.
It’s too soon to tell what Latu and Carlies are as players given they’ve only logged a year in the league. However, both have showcased serious talent that might turn into high-level consistency for Lou Anarumo.
The newly hired coordinator has to be excited to have talents like Latu and Carlies to develop into weapons for the stop troops as soon as 2025.