Luke Kandra
{{Short description|American football player}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Luke Kandra
| image =
| caption =
| currentteam = Carolina Panthers
| number =
| position = Guard
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|8|8}}
| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 319
| high_school = Elder
(Cincinnati, Ohio)
| college = Louisville (2020–2022)
Cincinnati (2023–2024)
| undraftedyear = 2025
|pastteams=
- Carolina Panthers ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
|status=Active
| highlights =
}}
Luke Kandra (born August 8, 2001) is an American professional football guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Early life
Kandra is from Cincinnati, Ohio.{{Cite web|url=https://gobearcats.com/sports/football/roster/luke-kandra/12389|publisher=Cincinnati Bearcats|title=Luke Kandra}} He grew up playing football as a quarterback before switching to guard by the time he attended Elder High School in Cincinnati.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/western-hills-press/167305036/|newspaper=Western Hills Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=June 26, 2019|page=B1|title=Why Elder OL Kandra committed to Louisville|author=Dermer, Shelby}} {{Open access}} As a junior, he was selected second-team all-district. He was then named All-Ohio and helped his team compile a record of 12–3 in his senior year, with Elder finishing as the runner-up at the Division I state championship.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal/167305217/|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 11, 2022|page=B3|title=Satterfield takes Kandra to UC from UofL|author=Springer, Scott; Clark, Dave}} {{Open access}} A three-star prospect and one of the top-50 recruits in Ohio, he committed to play college football for the Louisville Cardinals.
College career
Kandra redshirted as a freshman at Louisville in 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2025/02/26/lions-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-luke-kandra-scouting-report/79516863007/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Detroit Lions Prospect Profile: Luke Kandra, IOL, Cincinnati|date=February 26, 2025|author=Brown, Russell}} He then appeared in 21 games for Louisville from 2021 to 2022, mainly on special teams, also appearing in two games as a starter during the 2022 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer/167306939/|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 12, 2023|page=D1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer/167306995/ D4]|title=Coming home|author=Springer, Scott}} {{Open access}} He transferred to the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2023. That year, he was ranked by Pro Football Focus (PFF) as the best offensive lineman on the team, with Kandra starting all 12 games and being named first-team All-Big 12 Conference and second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/uc-guard-luke-kandra-named-ap-third-team-all-american|website=Sports Illustrated|title=UC Guard Luke Kandra Named AP Third-Team All-American|date=December 11, 2023|author=Heltman, Russ}} As a senior in 2024, he was rated the best right guard in the conference by PFF for a second consecutive year, being selected first-team All-Big 12 and second-team All-American while starting 12 games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/university-of-cincinnati-sports/elder-high-school-grad-luke-kandra-invited-to-nfl-scouting-combine|publisher=WCPO-TV|title=Elder High School grad Luke Kandra invited to NFL Scouting Combine|date=January 30, 2025|author=Dyer, Mike}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcpo.com/sports/high-school-sports/ucs-luke-kandra-named-to-sports-illustrateds-all-america-second-team|publisher=WCPO-TV|title=UC's Luke Kandra named to Sports Illustrated's All-America Second Team|date=December 13, 2024|author=Dyer, Mike}} He did not allow a single sack in his last year. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, where he led all participants in the bench press.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/cincinnati/football/look-cincinnati-offensive-linemen-luke-kandra-john-williams-lead-top-bench-press-results-at-2025-nfl-combine-01jnejncn3nv|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Look: Cincinnati Offensive Linemen Luke Kandra, John Williams Lead Top Bench Press Results at 2025 NFL Combine|date=March 3, 2025|author=Heltman, Russ}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 3/4
| weight = 319
| dash = 5.17
| twenty split = 2.96
| shuttle = 4.78
| cone drill = 8.33
| vertical = 32.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 5
| bench = 33
| arm span = 31 7/8
| hand span = 10
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/luke-kandra/32004b41-4e06-9215-1aa9-f9c8e2e984f3 |title=Luke Kandra Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 11, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1040923&DraftYear=2025 |title=Luke Kandra College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 11, 2025}}
}}
On May 8, 2025, Kandra signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent after going unselected in the 2025 NFL draft.{{cite web |last1=Hill |first1=Kassidy |title=Panthers sign 6 draft picks, 19 undrafted free agents ahead of rookie minicamp |url=https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-sign-6-draft-picks-19-undrafted-free-agents-ahead-of-rookie-minicamp |website=Panthers.com |access-date=9 May 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://gocards.com/sports/football/roster/luke-kandra/12020 Louisville Cardinals bio]
- [https://gobearcats.com/sports/football/roster/luke-kandra/12389 Cincinnati Bearcats bio]
{{Carolina Panthers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kandra, Luke}}
Category:Players of American football from Cincinnati
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:Elder High School alumni
Category:Louisville Cardinals football players