Penn State football linebacker Jesse Luketa has officially declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The senior defender made his announcement just minutes after the Nittany Lions’ 24-10 loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. He’s the sixth Penn State defender to announce he’ll now prepare for the NFL Draft and forgo more time in Happy Valley.

“My time at Penn State has been nothing but a blessing,” Luketa wrote. “You guys welcomed a kid from South Ottawa with open arms and supported me throughout my journey here both academically and athletically. For that, I will forever be indebted!”

Luketa put a stamp on his Penn State career Saturday with nine total tackles, including one for a loss. He had the second-most tackles for the Nittany Lions behind just Curtis Jacobs.

After a three-year stint as a linebacker, Luketa made the shift to primarily defensive end this season. Before the Outback Bowl, he made just one start at linebacker this fall. The defender now leaves Happy Valley with 151 total tackles in 46 games played, including an eight-tackle performance against Auburn in the White Out.

One of the most exciting plays of Luketa’s senior season was when he grabbed a pick-six in the week two win over Ball State.

James Franklin offered plenty of support to Luketa during his post-game press conference Saturday.

“I’m a huge Jesse Luketa fan. I will pound the table for him with every single NFL team, GM, coaches,” Franklin said. “The guy is a football player. He loves football. He’s a great teammate. He’s played a lot of different positions.”