The 49ers are hopeful Alabama tight end Cameron Latu can solve some immediate and long-term problems at TE.
It took him a handful of years to crack the starting lineup with the Crimson Tide, but ideally he’ll take on a more substantial role early on in his pro career.
Latu won’t step into a starting job right away with George Kittle atop the depth chart, but he’s a good enough pass catcher to add a new dynamic to their offense even as a reserve.
Here are a few things to know about the 101st pick in this year’s draft:
Former defensive star
Latu actually made his way to Alabama as a pass rusher. He posted 41 tackles for loss and 13.0 sacks during his final two high school seasons and played defense to begin his career with the Crimson Tide. He moved to TE in his second season and eventually settled in as a starter by 2021.
Not a typical multi-sport star
Generally draft picks who were multi-sport stars in high school played also baseball or basketball or ran track. Latu was a multi-sport star in less typical sports. In high school he was fifth in the state in wrestling, and played on his school’s rugby team.
Chain mover
Latu may not be an explosive athlete capable of ripping off chunk plays like Kittle does, but he knows how to move the chains and find the end zone. Per the Athletic’s Dane Brugler, 80.4 percent of Latu’s college receptions went for either a first down or a touchdown. That alone would be a nice addition to the 49ers’ TE room.
TEU attendee
Last year only three college tight ends attended Tight End University, which was founded in part by 49ers TE George Kittle. Latu was one of them. He told reporters about the experience in a piece on 247 Sports:
“I love that experience of being around all the NFL tight ends,” Latu told local reporters. “I just gained confidence in knowing that it wasn’t far off from like what I could do personally, and I’m at that stage where I look like one of them. It just made me open my eyes and knowing that I’m not really far off, but also, I learned a lot from them, as well. I took a lot away from that.”
