By Martin Cleary
Two U.S.-based university football players have served their time of duty on the gridiron and are ready to pursue the ultimate prize.
Linebacker/defensive end Jesse Luketa and defensive lineman Luiji Vilain have played their final games for the Penn State University Nittany Lions and the Wake Forest University Deacons, respectively, and have decided to put their names forward for the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28-30.
Both players have had contrasting university football careers, but they had impressive statistical seasons in their final year.
Luketa may have the best opportunity to catch the eye of NFL general managers, coaches and scouts as he has been ranked No. 14 among all linebackers by the NFL Draft Bible.
Plus, he has Penn State head coach James Franklin as the unofficial president of the Jesse Luketa Fan Club. Franklin strongly encourages all NFL teams to believe in Luketa as an all-around football player.
“I’m a huge Jesse Luketa fan,” Franklin told reporter Mark Wogenrich, after the Nittany Lions lost the Outback Bowl 24-10 to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. “I will pound the table for him with every single NFL team, GM, coach. The guy is a football player.”
Luketa, who turns 23 on Jan. 15, had one more year of eligibility at Penn State, but he decided, after discussions with his family, that now was the time for him to look at playing professional football.
After three impressive seasons at linebacker, Luketa was moved to defensive end in his senior season and was equally successful.
“I’m proud of him,” Franklin added, acknowledging Luketa wanted to play in the Outback Bowl and watched him excel as a team captain with nine tackles, including one for lost yardage. Half a dozen Nittany Lions elected not to play in the season-ending bowl game.
“He’s smart, he’s physical, does a lot of different things. Obviously, with our linebacker situation, that was something that was going to have to happen. He embraced it. I thought he played his tail off.”
Luketa posted career-best numbers this season in solo tackles (34), total tackles (61), yards lost (8.5) and interceptions (one). His career numbers spoke to his determination and abilities – 38 games played, 85 solo tackles, 66 assisted tackles, 11.5 yards lost, one fumble recovery and one, single-handed interception, which he returned for a 16-yard touchdown.
He called his four years at Penn State “nothing but a blessing,” as he developed into a well-round defensive player, while studying for his degree in criminology.
The NFL Draft Bible was impressed by Luketa’s size, versatility and movement skills. The scouts rated him as “a big, long linebacker with impressive lateral burst and change of direction ability.” A strong tackler, Luketa has “NFL starting potential,” because he moves so well and is “instinctive against the run.”
The first edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau Top-20 prospects list has Luketa ranked No. 4, while his Penn State teammate Jonathan Sutherland, a defensive back, is No. 10.
“You guys welcomed a kid from South Ottawa with open arms and supported me throughout my journey here both academically and athletically. For that, I will be forever indebted,” Luketa wrote in a message to Nittany Nation on his Twitter account to announce he would be declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Luketa thanked the entire Penn State coaching staff, his teammates and family for an opportunity to grow as a student-athlete in a rich environment.
“From the time I left home to pursue my dream of playing collegiate football at the highest level, you guys were there throughout the entire process,” added the former St. Patrick Catholic High School student. “After speaking with my family, I have decided to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft.
“It has been an honour to represent the Blue and White and enter battles in the greatest stadium in the world. Beaver Stadium and Nittany Nation, I will miss you.”
Player who went from Ottawa to Virginia to Michigan to North Carolina hopes next stop will be NFL
Luiji Vilain attended the University of Michigan for four years, but he didn’t play a single game in his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Wolverines’ football program.
But he got in the game for his junior and senior seasons for a combined 12 games and had eight solo and three assisted tackles, one sack and one forced fumble.
When he enrolled last fall at Wake Forest to pursue a degree in liberal studies, Vilain had a memorable football season for the 11-3 Deacons, who lost the Atlantic Coast Conference final to the University of Pittsburgh but won the Gator Bowl over Rutgers University. Vilain played 12 games for the Deacons and recorded 22 solo and 15 assisted tackles, eight sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
“Growing up in Ottawa, I had no idea the amount of challenges I would have to overcome, while moving to another country,” Vilain wrote in a Twitter message to Deacons Nation. “Through the grace of God, these challenges and adversity molded me into the man I am today.”
Vilain also was truly thankful to Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson as well as the assistants, fans and family for the opportunities to experience a high level of university football and academics. During his sophomore year, he was an Academic All-Big Ten Conference honouree.
“From the moment I stepped on campus (at Wake Forest), I was welcomed with open arms and embraced with so much love,” added the former Lester B. Pearson Catholic High School student who finished high school in Virginia. “When looking back, I can honestly say coming to Wake Forest was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
“Not only did I grow as a football player, but also I learned numerous life lessons and values that I’ll carry with me the rest of my life.”
Martin Cleary has written about amateur sports for over 52 years. A past Canadian sportswriter of the year and Ottawa Sports Awards Lifetime Achievement in Sport Media honouree, Martin retired from full-time work at the Ottawa Citizen in 2012, but continued to write a bi-weekly “High Achievers” column for the Citizen/Sun.
When the pandemic struck, Martin created the High Achievers “Stay-Safe Edition” to provide some positive news during tough times, via his Twitter account at first and now here at OttawaSportsPages.ca.
Martin can be reached by e-mail at martincleary51@gmail.com and on Twitter @martincleary.
