A Canadian seventh-round find whose versatility at Penn State has translated into a well-traveled NFL depth role.
Jesse Luketa built his reputation at Penn State as a do-everything defender before the Arizona Cardinals took a late-round flier on him in 2022. He has since carved out a niche as a versatile linebacker willing to play special teams and multiple front-seven spots.
Path to the league
A native of Canada, Luketa played for Penn State from 2018 to 2021, appearing in 47 games and recording 151 tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss. The Arizona Cardinals selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Luketa's calling card has been positional versatility, lining up at linebacker and on the edge while contributing heavily on special teams. In 2024 with the Cardinals, he recorded three sacks and a forced fumble across 10 games.
2025 season recap
Luketa spent the tail end of the 2025 season on the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad before being released in February 2026. He signed a one-year deal in the following weeks to continue his career, giving him a chance to compete for a depth linebacker and special-teams role.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jesse Luketa
- Pro Football Reference: Jesse Luketa
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | cardinals | 10 | 21 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | cardinals | 14 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | cardinals | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Penn State
- Hometown
- Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Age
- 27
- Status
- active
