Laiatu Latu and Adonai Mitchell.
One is a defensive end and one is a wide receiver. One is 6’5″ and weighs 260 pounds, the other is 6’2″ and weighs 200 pounds. One played college basketball in California, the other in Georgia and Texas.
They are not that similar. But the characteristics they have in common are the most important.
They are really good at football, they are exceptionally motivated and they have the potential to have a big impact on the Colts.
Oh, and they’re both rookies who have yet to play in an NFL regular season game.
However, that time is quickly approaching – the Colts played their final preseason game of 2024 on Thursday night, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 27-14 – and Latu and Mitchell gave Colts fans even more reason to look forward to the 2024 season.
Take, for example, the first few minutes of the season finale on Thursday night.
On the first drive of the game, Latu scampered around the Bengals’ offensive line and sacked Cincinnati’s starting quarterback for the day, third-string starter Logan Woodside, to force a three-and-out drive. On the next possession, Mitchell scored a nine-yard touchdown after quarterback Anthony Richardson led a 12-play, 80-yard drive down the field.
It was Latus’ first sack and Mitchell’s first touchdown in the NFL. The fact that this happened in the preseason? Irrelevant.
“When you go out there, whether it’s a preseason game or a regular season game, it’s a big deal to get on track as a freshman,” head coach Shane Steichen said.
Latu and Mitchell have both shown themselves countless times in training camp, but it’s always different to do so during a game. Because during a game, they get to show the rest of the world what their teammates have known about them for months.
“He’s in top form,” linebacker Zaire Franklin said of Latu. “He needs a break that’s just waiting to be used. In my opinion, he’s a damn good player.”
“The guy has worked his ass off since he got here,” Steichen said. “I mean, he can put pressure on the passer like crazy.”
