Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1454229
1 2 M A R C H 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Jesse Luketa found himself surrounded by top talent with his Senior Bowl posi- tion grouping. The versatile Penn State defender had been announced as a linebacker ahead of the practice sessions leading up to the an- nual showcase game and was set to team with Utah's Devin Lloyd, Oklahoma's Brian Asamoah, Wyoming's Chad Muma and Montana State's Troy Anderson. All are considered top-10 linebacker pros- pects for the NFL Draft in April, which meant that Luketa's opportunity to shine would be limited. Had he performed with the lineback- ers, that might have been true. Instead, Luketa spent the week as an edge rusher, reprising his primary role for Penn State during 2021. It turned out to be a great move; Luketa dazzled in the Feb. 5 game. Arriving at the Mobile, Ala., event weighing 261 pounds with a 33-inch reach, his eye-popping size served as a precursor. He attracted plenty of interest throughout the week, and he backed it up in the game, finishing with two sacks, a forced fumble and four quarterback pres- sures in a 20-10 win for the National side. Luketa was "impressive enough in Happy Valley this year competing sub- 250 pounds at points during the season," wrote Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network. "If he's able to sustain his burst and flexi- bility off the edge at that mass in the NFL, he'll enjoy plenty of success from Day 1." Luketa's timing made the splash plays particularly notable. With less than a minute to play in the first half, the Ameri- can team was looking to convert on third- and-one at the Nationals' 19-yard line. Luketa turned the corner and stripped UNC quarterback Sam Howell, resulting in a nine-yard loss. With no timeouts left, the Americans rushed a 48-yard field goal attempt that missed right. Luketa's second sack came in the fourth quarter with the National team protecting a 10-point lead. On second-and-seven, Luketa chased down Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe from behind for a nine-yard loss. Penn State's other notable performance in the game came from punter Jordan Stout. In four attempts, the former Nit- tany Lion specialist averaged 49.5 yards per try, with three punts going for more than 50 yards and two downed inside the 10-yard line. Stout's performance drew praise from NFL.com's Chase Goodbread. "Whatever money is made in draft stock at the Senior Bowl, it's tough for punters to get a piece of it given that specialists are in low draft demand. But Penn State's Jordan Stout and Georgia's Jake Camarda left quite an impression anyway," Goodbread wrote. "Stout's best punt, a 52-yarder in the third quar- ter, sailed perfectly to the sideline at the 4-yard line and was fielded for a gain of just one yard. Stout then gestured as if he were swinging a golf club — it was the football equivalent of sticking a short iron on the green within a few feet of the cup." Six former Penn Staters were chosen for the Senior Bowl, but Luketa and Stout were the only ones to see action. Receiver Jahan Dotson and safety Jaquan Brisker both pulled out in the days leading up to the event. Cornerback Tariq Castro- Fields and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie participated in the practice sessions but did not play in the game. Penn State's other showcase game par- ticipants were linebacker Ellis Brooks and defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo in the East-West Shrine Bowl, and guard Eric Wilson in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Brooks and Tangelo both started for their respective teams, and Brooks en- joyed a productive night in Las Vegas. His five tackles were third on the East defense, prompting the game's director of football operations, Eric Galko, to note that the standout inside linebacker helped himself considerably with his performance. "Ellis Brooks wildly impressed scouts in interviews, and his leadership, football IQ, and positioning on-field made him a riser," Galko wrote on Twitter. Next on the agenda, eight former Nit- tany Lions have been invited to partici- pate in the NFL Scouting Combine, set for March 1-7 in Indianapolis. PSU's con- tingent consists of Brisker, Castro-Fields, Dotson, Ebiketie, Luketa and Stout, along with linebacker Brandon Smith and of- fensive tackle Rasheed Walker. A consensus of mock drafts presently has Dotson as Penn State's only first- round selection, with Ebiketie and Brisker trending as likely second-round choices. — Nate Bauer Jesse Luketa Makes Big Impression In Senior Bowl Luketa played linebacker and defensive end at Penn State. He saw action as an edge rusher in the Senior Bowl and finished the game with two sacks. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Blue-White Game To Air Live On BTN This year's Blue-White Game will kick off at 2 p.m. April 23 and will be broadcast live by the Big Ten Network (BTN), Penn State announced in February. It will be the first conventional spring game at PSU since 2019, when an estimated 61,000 fans filled Beaver Stadium to watch the Nittany Lions conclude their offseason drills. The Blue-White Game was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and last spring Penn State held two open scrimmages with limited attendance. Admission to this year's game is free and the parking lots will open at 9 a.m. on game day. Attendees who do not have season parking passes will be charged $20 to park.