KSR 2022 NFL Draft Profile: Luke Fortner

We are one week away from the NFL Draft, and things are happening as the biggest non-sporting event on the calendar quickly approaches. Kentucky could have a couple of big days out in Las Vegas.

Darian Kinnard, Josh Paschal, and Wan’Dale Robinson were all known commodities heading into the year while Luke Fortner made a position switch. However, that turned out to be a wise move as the super senior has turned himself into a very hot commodity. Now we’re talking about another prospect who could go off the board on day two.

KSR’s draft profile series continues with one of the best centers in the draft.

KSR 2022 NFL Draft Profile: Wan’Dale Robinson

KSR 2022 NFL Draft Profile: Josh Paschal

KSR 2022 NFL Draft Profile: Darian Kinnard

Player: Luke Fortner

• Height: 6041
• Weight: 307 pounds
• Arm: 33 1/8 inches
• Hand: 10 inches
• Wingspan: 80 3/4 inches
• 40-yard dash: 5.21 seconds
• Broad jump: 8’3″
• Vertical: 29 inches
• 3-cone: 7.75 seconds
• Short shuttle: 4.95 seconds
• Bench press: 31 reps

At Kentucky’s pro day, Luke Fortner bolstered his stock with a solid number on bench which shows power and speed. The super senior also showed off a better vertical to give him solid scores. However, both Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) and Cam Jurgens (Nebraska) posted big numbers proving there are some athletic freaks who have been playing the center position longer this draft cycle.

Luke Fortner is a OG prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 6.56 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 419 out of 1215 OG from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/TDlv9pMJvq #RAS pic.twitter.com/pW5BgLtG5K

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 28, 2022

With that said, the testing numbers did not hurt what Fortner put on tape.

College Production

• 2016: Redshirt
• 2017: 8 games, SEC Academic Honor Roll
• 2018: 11 games, SEC Academic Honor Roll
• 2019: 13 games, 13 starts at right guard, 27 knockdown blocks, 1 penalty in 646 snaps, SEC Academic Honor Roll
• 2020: 10 games, 10 starts (7 at right guard, 3 at left guard), 26 knockdown blocks, SEC Academic Honor Roll
• 2021: 13 games, 13 starts at center, team captain
• Career: 55 games, 36 starts, mechanical engineering degree, master’s degree in aerospace engineering, MBA

Background

Luke Fortner hails from the Toledo suburbs and would go on to suit up for Sylvania Northview in Northwest Ohio. A four-year starter, honor roll student, and basketball player, Fortner saw his recruitment begin to heat up during his junior season as the offensive line prospect received an offer from Kentucky and took visits to Purdue, Indiana, Ohio State, Toledo, Northwestern, and Illinois. Over the winter, Fortner would return to Kentucky for another visit and would commit to the Wildcats shortly after.

After a redshirt season, Fortner became a rotational piece for the Big Blue Wall in 2018 and took over a starting spot in 2019. However, the COVID-19 year occurred in 2020, and the right guard had to deal with some injuries. Fortner decided to return for an extra season in 2021, but asked Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops if he could play center with four-year starter Drake Jackson moving on.

Stoops agreed and that ended up being a fruitful decision for both involved parties.

Fortner turned into one of the best centers in college football and was a key cog in Kentucky putting together a top-25 offense in Liam Coen’s pro-style scheme last fall.

Scouting Report

At the next level, offensive line players must have positional flexibility. Luke Fortner clearly has that. The super senior shined as a center, but also held up well in the SEC playing both guard spots. That will be attractive to NFL organizations. However, the tape at center is what is getting Fortner drafted.

The veteran plays with strong hand placement tied with good footwork that leads to success in multiple blocking schemes. Fortner displays play strength when facing power players in both run and pass concepts but has enough agility to complete reach blocks. Thanks to a good base, Fortner plays with balance and that leads to success when combined with his efficient hand placement.

Fortner might be best suited in an outside zone scheme at the next level, but the interior player has proven to be successful in multiple schemes. Look for wide zone teams — Rams, Bengals, Browns, 49ers, Dolphins, Jets, Packers, Titans, Falcons — to potentially target Fortner in the mid-rounds.

Draft Window

Mel Kiper Jr./Todd McShay(ESPN) 3-Round Mock: N/A

Dane Brugler (The Athletic) Grade: 3rd round

Thor Nystrom (NBC) 3-Round Mock: 3rd round

Tyler Linderbaum appears to be an elite prospect, but things are thin at center in this draft. Therfore, Luke Fortner could have some value much earlier than expected. The super senior is likely behind both Cam Jurgens and Dylan Parham (Memphis), but after that Fortner could come off the board at any point.

There was the possibility of some second round buzz after a strong pro day, but the third round feels like a safe bet unless there is a late run on centers. If that’s the case, the Kentucky product and former three-star recruit will be coming off the board early on day three.