The Colts front office laughed hysterically when Laiatu Latu, the ‘best damn rusher in the NFL Draft,’ went down on them – then GM Chris Ballard ‘pranked’ a 7th round player .

The first fourteen picks in the 2024 NFL Draft were all offensive players.

Six of the first twelve selections were quarterbacks, in a draft class dominated by signal-callers, including Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and, rather unexpectedly, Michael Penix Jr.

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The plethora of offensive players leaving the board meant a ton of dominant defensive players were waiting to learn their fate.

The Indianapolis Colts seized the opportunity and selected pass rusher Laiatu Latu with the No. 15 pick – the first defensive player selected in this year’s draft.

The former UCLA defensive end was considered one of the best defenders available and Colts general manager Chris Ballard couldn’t believe Latu landed right in his lap.

“We got the best rusher in the draft,” the general manager said with a laugh in the Indianapolis situation room.

The defensive lineman was an All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year during his final season at UCLA in 2023.

Last season, he undoubtedly strengthened his draft pick after recording 49 tackles, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and two passes defended.

Overall, it was a productive draft for the Colts, who may have gotten the steal of the year by selecting former Texas WR Adonai Mitchell in the second round.

The AFC South team concluded its 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Oklahoma defensive tackle Jonah Laulu in the seventh round (No. 234 overall).

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Laulu thought he was being played a joke when general manager Ballard called him late in the day.

After introducing himself on the phone, Ballard said, “Welcome to Indy, man. We’re recruiting you here.”

“It’s not a prank, is it?” Laulu replied.

“It’s not a prank. I promise,” Ballard replied, turning around in his chair and bursting out laughing.

Laulu, 6-foot-5, 292 pounds, is a powerhouse D-line prospect who spent his college career at Hawaii (2018-2021) and Oklahoma (2022-2023).

The Las Vegas native earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2023 and has totaled 102 tackles, 10.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception in 66 career games (24 starts) .

He ran a 4.96-second 40-yard dash at Oklahoma’s pro day earlier this year and is now expected to battle for a backup spot behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart on the Colts’ defensive line.

Elsewhere, it was quite the draft experience for the Colts general manager.

Ballard had an eventful weekend that saw him fiercely defend Adonai Mitchell – who he drafted with the No. 52 pick – after reports of concerns over the youngster’s character emerged.

“I’ve read some of the bullshit that’s been said. I mean just the typical bitches, excuse my language, our typical league,” Ballard told reporters in a fiery news conference.

“Anonymous sources, you know, a bad interview, that’s really bullshit. I mean, that’s fucking. That’s bullshit. Put your name on it.

“We’re tearing these young men down. They’re 21, 22 year old men and if people can tell me they’re perfect in their lives, that’s bullshit. That’s bullshit. It’s a good boy. For these reports, get out, I said it last year, it’s bulls***.

“I’m sorry. I apologize for the language. No, but I do.”