Cameron Latu, TE Alabama: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Latu was a four-star defensive end recruit from Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah in the class of 2018

Cameron Latu committed to Alabama as a defensive end in 2018. Now, he’s set to hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft as a tight end. The athletic playmaker projects as a mid-Day 3 selection.

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Cameron Latu, TE Alabama: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior tight end from Salt Lake City, Utah

Background: Latu was a four-star defensive end recruit from Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah in the class of 2018. He was the No. 187 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 113 for Rivals, and No. 129 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 155th in the nation with an 83 grade out of 100. Latu originally committed to BYU before flipping to Alabama. He recorded 43 tackles, including 11 for loss, and six sacks as a high school senior. MaxPreps credits Latu with ten receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown as a senior and 14 receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns. According to MaxPreps, the Utah native totaled 65 tackles, including 20 for loss, and nine sacks in 2016. Latu participated in Nike's "The Opening" and was selected to play in the Polynesian Bowl.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed Utah State game in 2022 after suffering an injury late in camp

Awards: N/A

Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, punt coverage, and field goal units, snaps taken in-line, slot, out wide, and at H-back, quick off the line, gains ground quickly for a tight end, fluid athleticism, solid change of direction skills, finds holes in zone to sit in, uses quick footwork to throw fakes at the top of his route, uncovers when quarterback extends play, makes hand catches outside of his frame, willing to lower his shoulder and finish falling forward, willing blocker, takes good angles to blocks, able to climb and seal second-level defenders, acceptable blocking corners on the perimeter, displaces defensive backs on perimeter blocks, instances of lowering his pad level to win the leverage battle

Cons: Age, seven drops in the past two years, one fumble in 2021 and 2022, lean athlete with limited bulk, hands are on the smaller side, initial acceleration off the line fades quickly, will struggle to separate from slot defenders, doesn’t generate separation coming out of cuts, doesn’t stretch the field vertically, doesn’t break many tackles, not an elusive player, caught from behind, no high-end athletic traits to suggest significant YAC upside, holds up defenders on blocks but doesn’t generate displacement, high pad level, pad level and hand placement as a blocker, lacks the mass to hold up in pass pro against true NFL edge rushers, sometimes ducks his head into blocks, footwork doesn’t consistently square him to the man he’s blocking, doesn’t consistently extend arms as a blocker and allows defenders into his chest, often whiffs on blocking assignments, carries hands too low

Overview: Latu took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6042 and weighs 242 lbs. He has 9 4/8-inch hands and 32 3/8-inch arms. Latu had a 79 1/4-inch wingspan at the Senior Bowl. He was originally a defensive lineman in high school and a linebacker during his true freshman season at Alabama, making him fairly new to the tight end position. He has special teams experience on the kick return, punt coverage, and field goal units. Latu lined up in various positions for the Crimson Tide, including in-line, slot, out wide, and H-back. He gains ground quickly off the line of scrimmage and is a fluid athlete. Latu finds holes in zone coverage and is terrific at uncovering when the quarterback extends the play. The former four-star recruit uses quick footwork to freeze defenders or throw route fakes at the top of his stem. He makes hand catches outside of his frame but dropped seven passes over the past two seasons. Latu finishes plays falling forward and carries that toughness into his role as a blocker. The Utah native is a willing blocker capable of climbing to the second level to seal linebackers or displace defensive backs on perimeter blocks. He takes good angles to his targets, and there are instances of Latu lowering his pad level to win the leverage battle. However, the college veteran frequently blocks with a high pad level. His hand placement as a blocker is poor, and he holds his hands too low, which invites defenders into his chest. Latu holds up defenders on blocks but doesn’t generate displacement against linebackers or linemen. As a lean athlete with limited bulk, he lacks the mass to hold up in pass pro against true NFL edge rushers. Latu sometimes ducks his head into blocks, causing him to slide off the block or whiff entirely. The former four-star recruit rarely extends his arms to lock out defenders. His footwork doesn’t consistently get him square with the defender he’s blocking, leading to the defender slipping the block. As a pass catcher, Latu struggles to separate from slot defenders. His initial acceleration off the line fades quickly. The redshirt senior doesn’t stretch the field vertically or generate separation coming out of cuts. He’s not an elusive player with the ball in his hands and gets caught from behind by defensive backs. Latu lacks the power and contact balance to break tackles consistently. His YAC upside is limited.

Overall, Latu presents value as a Day 3 backup tight end because of his alignment versatility and well-rounded skill set. However, he doesn’t offer high-end upside in any individual area and generates limited separation with his modest athletic profile. Latu should still serve as a quality backup tight end in 2023, but his ceiling appears more limited than that of other tight ends in this class.  

Role & Scheme Fit: Backup slot/F tight end

Round Projection: Mid Fifth to Early Sixth 

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-16-23