Jacksonville Jaguars draft UK lineman Luke Fortner with 65th overall pick
By spending an extra year in school, Luke Fortner earned a second master’s degree and a higher position in the NFL Draft.
Fortner, an offensive lineman who spent six years at the University of Kentucky, was selected 65th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the draft on Friday.
A “super senior” who likely would have gotten drafted toward the end of last year’s draft, Fortner returned to campus under the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver to play in a pro-style scheme installed by new offensive coordinator Liam Coen (now in the same position with the Los Angeles Rams). He also made a transition to center after starting at right guard the previous two seasons. It was a decision that enhanced his draft stock — the 6-foot-4, 287-pound prospect played well enough to garner All-Southeastern Conference recognition from Pro Football Focus and Phil Steele — and his long-term outlook as a pro football player. He played at least 600 snaps at center and both guard positions in his time with the Wildcats. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein described him as guy who “could become a scheme-flexible starter in time.”
Fortner, a three-star prospect out of high school, redshirted his first year on campus (2016) before playing in eight games the following year. He was a bigger part of the rotation in 2018, when UK won 10 games for the first time in 41 years, and became a starter in 2019. Midway through the 2019 season, UK’s offense set multiple school rushing records. Fortner is one of an anticipated four starters from that unit to be drafted into the NFL, following Logan Stenberg (2020), Landon Young (2021) and including Darian Kinnard, who was expected to selected on Saturday.
Fortner earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering last year and will graduate in May with a master’s in business administration.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 9:34 PM.
