Up Close & Personal: Luketa eager to join lineage of Linebacker U

When Jesse Luketa took his first practice snaps at Mercyhurst Preparatory School, the sophomore defensive back lined up about 20 yards too deep, as his coach, Jeff Root, recalls it.

Born in Canada and accustomed to dealing with the more expansive field dimensions north of the border, Luketa’s small mistake was the beginning of a learning process that transformed him from a safety into the No. 12 outside linebacker in Rivals.com’s ranking of top 2018 prospects, and a key recruit in Penn State’s latest class.

“I had to grow really fast, because I left Canada when I was 15 and I left all my friends and family behind,” Luketa said. “I had a bigger picture in front of me and I just dedicated myself... to getting a full athletic scholarship.”

With upwards of 30 scholarship offers from Football Bowl Subdivision schools, Luketa achieved what he set out to do, and then some.

Along the way, he rejuvenated a Mercyhurst program that had struggled mightily before his arrival. From 2013 through 2015, the Lakers went 6-24, enduring a coaching change as Root took over for Matt Morgan in 2014.

But in 2016, Luketa paced Mercyhurst to its first winning season in four years. And this past fall, he led the Lakers to an undefeated regular season, posting 80 total tackles to go along with three interceptions, four sacks and three forced fumbles. On offense, Luketa found the end zone seven times and rushed for nearly 400 yards.

Root hopes Luketa’s impact on the program will extend beyond what he did on the field during his time in Erie, Pa.

“He’s one of those guys you just love having in your program because our young guys can emulate him in everything he does, not just his play on the field,” Root said.

Luketa, conscious of his status as a role model at Mercyhurst, intends to use his sharpened leadership skills at the next level.

One of the three linebackers in coach James Franklin’s 2018 recruiting class, the 6-foot-2, 241-pound Luketa enrolled at Penn State this week. He’s already carved out a leadership role among his peers in the Class of 2018.

“I honestly think it’s a natural thing,” Luketa said before leaving for PSU. “I’ve always been a natural born leader. ... I try to lead with my actions, with my voice. I’m a vocal leader. I enjoy it. I love being that guy who can rally the troops and just be their go-to guy who people can lean on and view as a leader in the community, on the football team and what-not.”

For his part, Root doesn’t expect Luketa to lose those qualities in college.

“It’s not going to faze him that he’s at Penn State,” Root said. “It’s not going to faze him that there are All-Americans around him.

“Even though he’ll be a freshman, he’s going to do the same things he’s doing now once he gets there.”

Luketa is no stranger to the standard Penn State sets at his position. Root said his former player is an expert on the Nittany Lions’ history at linebacker, from past greats like Paul Posluszny to 2017 stars like Jason Cabinda. So when Luketa says he’s intent on adding to the Linebacker U tradition, it carries a bit of extra weight.

“He’s not just throwing it around,” Root said. “He’s done his research.”

With his final high school season behind him, Luketa is preparing his body and mind for what awaits him. The Ottawa native understands the environment he’s getting into at Penn State, but his aspirations remain high.

“It’s going to be a grind, but I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he said. “I have an opportunity to go and do something special, jump in and hopefully get into the rotation as a true freshman. If not, I’ll have the opportunity as a redshirt to prepare myself and prepare my body.”

Spearheading a 2018 recruiting class that wants nothing less than to bring a national championship to Penn State, it’s clear Luketa doesn’t shy away from a challenge.

At the heart of that goal-driven mindset is the steadfast motivation provided by his loved ones back home.

“It’s serious now,” Luketa said. “I’m going to have my family pushing me, because I know that’s who I want to do it for, to support my family. It’s a position where they could reap all the benefits of what this game can provide for me.”