Jacksonville Jaguars select Kentucky offensive lineman Luke Fortner in 2022 NFL Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars are expecting Kentucky linebacker Luke Fortner to be a force in the NFL one day. Fortner spent six years in Lexington, including the past three as a starter, and is now ready to move on to the next stage of his football career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made those dreams come true Friday by selecting him No. 65 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility granted from the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke Fortner returned to Kentucky for a sixth season in 2021. After playing his first five years at guard, the 6-foot-6, 300 pound lineman made the switch to center and enjoyed perhaps the best season of his career. He proved a natural at the position, twice earning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week and also being named to the Remington Trophy watch list.

Fortner helped pave the way for a Kentucky offense that leaned heavily on running the ball. The Wildcats finished fifth in the SEC with just under 200 ground yards per game (199.8), and the offensive line was responsible for creating 3.14 yards per carry, fourth in all of FBS. It’s no doubt that the presence of Fortner played a big part in that.

A former three-star recruit, Fortner ranked as the No. 80 inside offensive lineman and No. 978 overall player in the 2016 class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. He was lightly recruited, receiving only one other Power 5 offer from Maryland.

NFL.com scouting report on Luke Fortner

It’s unclear whether Fortner will remain at center of move back to guard in the NFL. That will likely come down to where team name decides they need him the most. Either way, his position flexibility should end up working in his favor, as he can contribute in multiple areas.

“Center prospect with outstanding character, leadership and intelligence to go with position flexibility,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “Fortner has a proportional frame with adequate length and room to get bigger. He plays with above-average body control and hand usage to maximize his leverage and is consistent at the point of attack. He’s not a bad athlete but has issues timing his work-up blocks, which limits his second-level success at times. He can tune-up the pass protection, but it’s good enough as a foundation right now. Fortner is adequate in some areas and good in others. He could become a scheme-flexible starter in time.”