Colts’ Chris Ballard stayed at 15, got ’natural rusher’ in Laiatu Latu

INDIANAPOLIS – The path to Laiatu Latu still amazed Chris Ballard.

The Indianapolis Colts’ general manager sat at No. 15 in the first round of Thursday night’s NFL draft, and there were “serious discussions’’ in the war room about trying to move up, presumably for a top-end offensive player. Maybe Washington wideout Rome Odunze or Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.

“We made a push,’’ Ballard said. “Gotta get two to tango. Nobody was moving.’’

So he waited and waited, and came away with the top defensive player on his draft board after a record 14 offensive players, including six quarterbacks within the top 12, had been selected ahead of the Colts.

“Yeah, just looking at it the other day you thought there was going to be a big run on offensive players,’’ Ballard said. “Six quarterbacks going off . . . is that the most ever?’’

It was the most ever taken within the first 12 picks.

“It was interesting,’’ Ballard said. “Excited we got Latu.

“We think we got the best defensive player in the draft. I thought we got a little lucky. There were really four or five really elite players and he was one of them.’’

Latu resides at one of the NFL’s premier positions. Think quarterback, left tackle and edge rusher.

The last time the Colts took an edge rusher this high? Dwight Freeney, the No. 11 overall pick in 2002.

The last time they’ve had a player with at least 10 sacks in a season? Justin Houston with 11 in 2019.

“Any time you’ve got a guy who can rush the passer, you’ve got a difference maker,’’ Ballard said. “He’s a natural rusher.

“He’s a really talented guy. I think our defensive front is the best since we’ve been here. It’s excellent. It’s excellent.’’

The 6-5, 265-pound Latu joins a loaded D-line: DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo, Samson Ebukam, Tyquan Lewis, Grover Stewart.

Ballard’s desire to add to a group that set an Indy-era record with 51 sacks last season was obvious in March when he made a strong push to sign free agent Danielle Hunter.

He was asked if he was concerned with Latu’s age (23).

“We tried to sign one that was 29,’’ he said of Hunter.

Ballard also was quick to address Latu’s medical history.

After starting 12 games at Washington in 2019, Latu suffered a neck injury and underwent a cervical fusion surgery. He sat out two seasons and transferred to UCLA.

In two years with the Bruins, Latu had 23.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss.

“I know the medical’s going to be a question,’’ Ballard said, “but like our doctors said, he just played two full years with it.

“We asked a ton of questions: career length, chance of it happening again.’’

Ballard has always preached the importance of loading up the offensive and defensive lines. Latu should provide immediate impact.

“I think he’s going to produce pretty quickly as a rusher. I think he knows how to rush,’’ Ballard said. “Now of course, there’s going to be an adjustment period as there is with any rookie rusher and he’s pretty polished. This guy is a pretty polished product in terms of rushing.

“I think he helps us. Our stable up front is good. We’re really good up front.’’

Ballard was asked whether Latu’s addition impacts Paye, the Colts’ first-round pick in 2021. The team must pick up Paye’s fifth-year option at $13.38 million by May 2.

“We’ll work through that next week,’’ Ballard said. “Kwity is a really good football player. He had, what, 8.5 sacks last year, plays the crap out of the run. He’s a great teammate.

“I think you know our philosophy. W e want to keep as many of our own guys as we can. We like Kwity a lot.’’

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