Two selections after selecting Michigan Wolverines kicker Jake Moody with the No. 99 overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers utilized their second third-round compensatory selection on Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Cameron Latu, potentially finding their backup tight end to star George Kittle, which the organization has attempted to accomplish for the past four seasons.
Latu had been connected to the 49ers during the pre-draft process, as the team brought in the Alabama product on a Top-30 visit amongst other tight ends.
However, was Latu the best value selection at the back end of the third round?
With a run on tight ends occurring during the second round of the NFL Draft, where five players at the position were selected, the 49ers pounced on the position, but reached on Latu, whose athletic profile wasn't amongst the best in his class, and also possesses a few concerns with his production at Alabama.
Latu posted a 4.78 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, with his entire testing coming out primarily average across the board.
Cameron Latu is a TE prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 6.25 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 410 out of 1091 TE from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/e6CBGbdqWH #RAS pic.twitter.com/QNQVQkBqI0
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 2, 2023
Additionally, Latu's frame and strength limit his upside as a blocker, although he did show upside at Alabama on zone-blocking concepts and moving smaller defenders in space.
Despite his average speed, Latu is a solid route-runner at the position, but struggled with concentration drops, posting an 11.1% career drop rate at Alabama.
Top TE prospects with career drop rates over 10%
Luke Musgrave (16.1%)
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) March 8, 2023
Will Mallory (11.5%)
Cameron Latu (11.1%)
Tucker Kraft (10.8%)
Darnell Washington (10.0%)
However, Latu isn't elusive, which can limit after-the-catch opportunities, and questions the translation to the next level, although he has showcased versatility to play both inline and in the slot.
Overall, Latu is an average prospect, but his frame, athletic profile, and dropped passes limit his ceiling as a player, while better talents at the position were still available on the board at No. 99.
The 49ers reached here, but Latu could be a solid second option for the 49ers, being a good redzone threat with 12 touchdowns over the past two years as a receiver.
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
