Luke Fortner
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Luke Fortner
| image = Luke Fortner.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Fortner with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022
| college = Kentucky (2016–2021)
| number = 79
| position = Center
| current_team = Jacksonville Jaguars
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 65
| pastteams =
- Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|5|15}}
| birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.https://ukathletics.com/sports/football/roster/player/luke-fortner/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 307
| high_school = Sylvania Northview
(Sylvania, Ohio)
| highlights =
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 51
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 34
| pfr = FortLu01
}}
Luke Fortner (born May 15, 1998) is an American professional football center for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Early life
Fortner grew up in Sylvania, Ohio and attended Sylvania Northview High School.{{cite web|url=https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/pro/2022/03/03/what-sylvania-s-luke-fortner-had-to-say-during-media-availability-at-nfl-combine/stories/20220303113|title=What Sylvania's Luke Fortner had to say during media availability at the NFL Combine|work=Toledo Blade|date=March 3, 2022|access-date=April 27, 2022}}
College career
Fortner redshirted his true freshman season at the University of Kentucky.{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=Jon |date=April 5, 2017 |title=Kentucky Football: Offensive linemen 'ready to play anywhere' |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/04/05/uk-linemen-ready-play-anywhere/99913338/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=The Courier-Journal}} He appeared in eight games as a redshirt freshman.{{cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2019/07/28/kentucky-football-2019-offensive-line-preview/1801209001/|title=Kentucky football: Previewing offensive line for 2019 season|work=The Courier-Journal|date=July 28, 2019|access-date=April 27, 2022}} Fortner played in 11 of Kentucky's 13 games during his redshirt sophomore season.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-football/article260550057.html|title=From prospects to pros: 2022 NFL Draft résumé for Kentucky center Luke Fortner|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=April 23, 2022|access-date=April 27, 2022}} He became the Wildcats' starting left guard going into his redshirt junior season and started 13 games in 2019 and 10 in Kentucky's COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. Fortner decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and return to Kentucky for a sixth season.{{cite web|url=https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/college/2022/01/06/fortner-looks-ahead-to-draft-after-strong-final-season-at-kentucky/stories/20220105023|title=Fortner looks ahead to draft after strong final season at Kentucky|work=Toledo Blade|date=January 6, 2022|access-date=April 27, 2022}} He moved to center during fall training camp and was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference by the league's coaches.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/john-clay/article260766147.html|title=NFL Draft scouts say Kentucky's Luke Fortner made the most of his sixth season|first=John|last=Clay|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=April 26, 2022|access-date=April 27, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/story/2022-04-22/2022-nfl-draft-top-interior-offensive-linemen-tyler-linderbaum|title=2022 NFL Draft: Top Interior Offensive Linemen|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|date=April 22, 2022|access-date=April 27, 2022}} Fortner graduated in May 2022 with three degrees: Bachelor's, master's in mechanical engineering, and MBA.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.wymt.com/2022/04/21/uk-football-player-balancing-nfl-engineering-futures/ |title=UK football player balancing NFL, engineering futures |date=2022-04-21 |type=video |language=en-US |publisher=WYMT}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 1/8
| weight = 307
| dash = 5.21
| ten split = 1.77
| twenty split = 2.99
| shuttle = 4.95
| cone drill = 7.75
| vertical = 29.0
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 6
| bench = 31
| arm span = 33 1/8
| hand span = 10
| wonderlic =
| note = Sources:{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/luke-fortner/3200464f-5271-3383-dcdf-69c7a1e12725 |title=Luke Fortner Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=October 6, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1027600&DraftYear=2022 |title=2022 Draft Scout Luke Fortner, Kentucky NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=October 6, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/106034 |title=Luke Fortner 2022 NFL Draft Profile |website=insider.espn.com |access-date=October 6, 2022}}
}}
Fortner was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round, 65th overall, of the 2022 NFL draft.{{cite web|title=No. 65 overall: Fortner is the selection|url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/nfl-draft-ol-luke-fortner-select|author=Oehser, John|website=Jaguars.com|date=April 29, 2022}} He was named the Jaguars starting center as a rookie.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.jaguars.com/team/players-roster/luke-fortner/ Jacksonville Jaguars bio]
- [https://ukathletics.com/sports/football/roster/luke-fortner/8721 Kentucky Wildcats bio]
{{Jacksonville Jaguars roster navbox}}
{{Jaguars2022DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fortner, Luke}}
Category:People from Sylvania, Ohio
Category:American football centers
Category:Kentucky Wildcats football players
Category:Players of American football from Ohio