WATCH: Jesse Luketa gets the call from Arizona Cardinals during 2022 NFL Draft
Former Penn State linebacker Jesse Luketa had the special moment he received his draft call from the Arizona Cardinals caught on camera. Luketa was selected by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the draft with the 256th overall pick, out of 262 total players taken. Luketa was present at a draft party to celebrate his potential selection to the NFL, and friends and family surrounded him with cheers at his dream coming true.
Jesse Luketa receives draft call on camera
The video does an amazing job of capturing the stress of the NFL draft for players who don’t know when they could be selected — or if they’ll be drafted at all. Luketa was projected by some estimates as a middle-of-the-draft type prospect, potentially hearing his name as soon as the fourth round on Saturday. Hours later, the Penn State star had yet to hear his name called and appeared to be visibly nervous.
Finally, everything changed when Arizona used the first of two back-to-back picks in the final round to take Luketa and begin his NFL career. The Cardinals are getting a four-year linebacker from the Nittany Lions as an edge rusher. Luketa had 61 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for a loss and an interception in his final season with Penn State. He was named third-team Big Ten All-Defense by media vote — and second-team by the coaches.
During his four seasons, Luketa ramped up his playing time steadily. He eventually found the field as a starter and captain in 2020. As a junior, he posted 59 tackles, 2.5 for loss and three pass breakups.
More on Jesse Luketa
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down what Luketa can bring to the NFL ahead of the draft in a scouting of his draft profile. The prospect analyst credited the Penn State star for his positional versatility and his work ethic.
“Team-first leader who plays every snap like his hair is on fire. Luketa is self-made and known for putting in the work necessary to go from Ottawa tough guy to productive, two-year starter in the Big Ten,” Zierlein wrote. “He won’t blink in the face of physical challenges, using his leverage and power to hold his ground or come out on top. He lacks instincts and pursuit speed and is best suited as a 4-3 Sam linebacker but his lone season as a 4-3 end could have 3-4 teams exploring his potential as a developmental outside linebacker. No matter the scheme, Luketa’s toughness and talent should make him a good backup or low-end starter with the ability to shine on special teams as early as his rookie season.”
On3’s Nikki Chavanelle contributed to this article.