NFL Rumors: Falcons Attempted Trade Up for Laiatu Latu After Michael Penix Jr. Pick

The Atlanta Falcons made one big swing in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft but nearly made another.

Steve Wyche of NFL Network reported that the Falcons tried to trade back into the first round after taking quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick. If Atlanta was successful, it would have targeted edge-rusher Laiatu Latu.

"They decided not to take [Latu] there, but they tried to trade up into the teens to get Latu after this was done," Wyche said. "They couldn't get up that high, but that was the player they wanted to get. That was the defensive player they wanted."

Latu was taken by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 15 pick. He was the first defensive player off the board and could have filled a need for Atlanta.

He recorded 24 sacks and 100 tackles during his collegiate career and was named an All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year during the 2023 season.

He does come with a concerning injury history, as he was advised to medically retire due to a neck injury he suffered in 2020. However, he played 25 of 26 games after transferring to UCLA in December 2021 and otherwise has the look of being a dynamic defensive piece for the Colts.

Atlanta did not have a player record more than seven sacks in the 2023 season, and Latu may have had an opportunity to quickly carve out a major role. Instead, the franchise took Penix, who will likely not see the field for a few years due to the Falcons signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal in March.

Wyche reported that the Falcons prioritized a succession plan over immediate improvement, which led them to the decision to make the pick. Atlanta will now look to the remaining six rounds in order to plug holes on the team.