Tight End – Alabama
6’4 242 lbs
3rd Round – (101st Overall) – San Francisco 49ers
Surprisingly to everyone, the San Francisco 49ers selected Alabama tight end Cameron Latu with the second to last pick of the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Having Day 2 draft capital for him was surprising, but cannot be ignored. Especially for being a tight end. While many projected Latu to be a late-Day 3 pick, the 49ers took him earlier than most expected. Was it a reach? Possibly. But, let’s not forget that the 49ers aren’t exactly batting well when it comes to third-round picks.
Originally recruited as a defensive end, Latu was a star on special teams before switching to tight end in 2020. While he didn’t make an impact his Sophomore year at tight end, he certainly made a name for himself in 2021. Although he didn’t see many targets (43), he had 26 receptions for 410 yards and an astonishing 8 touchdowns.
After that many touchdowns in a season, you would think Latu would have entered the 2021 NFL Draft. However, that didn’t happen as Latu would return for his Senior season and try to improve his overall play. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite according to plan, he finished with just 30 receptions for 377 yards and 4 touchdowns. Not to mention, Alabama didn’t have the powerhouse team many people expected and many saw Latu as a late-round draft pick.
So why the late-round assumption? Despite having lackluster stats (56 receptions, 777 yards, 12 touchdowns), Latu’s game tape left more to desire for. While it wasn’t all bad, his play after the catch just didn’t give me that good feeling. Although he was great at high-pointing the ball, defenders got to him quite easily. Not to mention he also struggled to separate from defenders as shown in his 4.83 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and again at his Pro Day with a 4.78. Speed is not his specialty, but his red-zone capabilities as a pass-catcher and blocker did show. As stated above with his size, he looks to be a good not great blocker.
So why did the 49ers draft a tight end so early? Even though they have George Kittle, he is signed through 2025. Not to mention Kittle is going into his age 30 season in the NFL. Could Latu be the next Kittle? That’s a little hard to swallow as Kittle himself hasn’t shown signs of slowing down, but has been injured quite a bit.
Let’s not forget too that the 49ers also spent a seventh-round pick on Oklahoma tight end Brayden Willis. So even if the 49ers are looking at one of these two rookies to replace Kittle, it could be one or both. Each one has traits that make one Kittle if that makes sense.
Fantasy Football Outlook
While the selection of Latu in the third round raised a lot of eyebrows, the 49ers have something up their sleeve. That being said when you’re playing behind George Kittle, good luck getting on the field. However, the only chance is Kittle getting injured as Latu is slated as the TE2 on this team. With that being said, leave him on the waiver wire.
Dynasty Outlook
Similar to his fantasy outlook, Latu’s dynasty stock depends on Kittle’s future. Slated as the team’s No.2 tight end, Latu doesn’t look to be the next Kittle. Although the high draft capital, it would be surprising if he does take that next step as a pass-catcher.
The fact that since the NFL Draft, according to both our 1QB and Superflex average draft position (ADP), Latu has been drafted once. Needless to say, that’s pretty telling. Unless it’s a tight end-premium league, you can look at getting Latu with your final pick or off the waiver wire. Don’t be afraid to stash him on your taxi squads for a year either.
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