UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player selected in the NFL draft Thursday night, going No. 15 overall to Indianapolis to snap a record streak of 14 straight offensive players selected.
The latest a first round had previously gone before a defensive player was taken was No. 8 overall. That’s where the Carolina Panthers took cornerback Jaycee Horn in 2021.
Not only were the 14 straight offensive players to start the draft a record, it was the first time 14 straight offensive players were taken at any point in the draft. Six of those players were quarterbacks, including USC’s Caleb Williams to Chicago, LSU’s Jayden Daniels to Washington and North Carolina’s Drake Maye to New England with the top three picks.
There were also three wide receivers taken in the top 10 and three offensive tackles among those top 14 picks.
Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga was pick No. 14 by the New Orleans Saints.
Then came the Colts to finally go defense.
Latu was an All-American and Pac-12 defensive player of the year in 2023, leading major college football with 21 1/2 tackles for loss, including 13 sacks.
Seattle then made it two straight defensive linemen when it took Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy at No. 16 and the Vikings traded up to make it three in a row with Alabama outside linebacker Dallas Turner.
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