Jesse Luketa becomes eighth Nittany Lion to go in 2022 NFL Draft. What to know

Another former Penn State football captain went off the board Saturday evening in the 2022 NFL Draft. Jesse Luketa was taken 256th overall with the 35th pick of the seventh round by the Arizona Cardinals.

He’s the eighth former Nittany Lion to go in the draft, joining Jahan Dotson, Arnold Ebiketie, Jaquan Brisker, Brandon Smith, Jordan Stout, Tariq Castro-Fields and Rasheed Walker. He’s also the fifth player to go on the third day of the three-day event, joining Smith, Stout, Castro-Fields and Walker.

Luketa showed off his versatility in his final year at Penn State, transitioning to defensive end after playing linebacker in his first three years of college. He played both positions in the final year, but mostly stuck at end. He racked up 151 tackles and hauled in an interception for a touchdown during the 2021 season.

He was announced as an EDGE when he was selected, and could be a rotational player early in his career. He ran a 4.89 40-yard dash and measured in at 6-foot-3, 253 pounds during the pre-draft process.

His slow time in the 40 was part of the reason he was widely projected to go later in the draft, according to one anonymous NFL scout.

“Jesse ran slow when he pulled his hamstring,” the scout told the Centre Daily Times. “I’m trying to think of how many 4.89 defensive ends get taken before the fifth. Not many. I’ll say he goes fifth or sixth.”

This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 6:49 PM.

Jon Sauber

Centre Daily Times

(814) 231-6461

Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.