Apr 30, 2022
Canadian LB Luketa selected by Cardinals in seventh-round of NFL Draft
Canadian linebacker Jesse Luketa, a native of Ottawa, was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals, 256th overall, in the seventh-round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
The Canadian Press
Canadian linebacker Jesse Luketa, a native of Ottawa, was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals, 256th overall, in the seventh-round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
The six-foot-three, 247-pound Luketa spent his first three seasons at Penn State as a linebacker before adding defensive end to his repertoire last year. The versatile performer had 61 tackles (34 solo, 8.5 for a loss), a half-sack and interception in 2021.
Luketa performed well during practices at the Senior Bowl, which annually attracts some of the top NFL draft prospects. He also had two sacks, including a strip-sack, in the actual showcase contest.
Luketa was named a Penn State team captain in 2020 and registered 59 tackles (31 solo) and a fumble recovery. He attended this year's NFL combine but suffered a hamstring injury while running the 40-yard dash.
Luketa is also eligible for the CFL draft Tuesday. After being named the top prospect in the Scouting Bureau's top-20 winter list, Luketa finished second in the final rankings behind Metchie.
Defensive end Luiji Vilain, another Ottawa native who had a team-high nine sacks last year at Wake Forest, wasn't drafted. The Toronto Argonauts selected the six-foot-four, 255-pound Vilain in the third round, No. 25 overall, of last year’s CFL draft.