CANTON, OH – Luke Fortner was Jacksonville’s first offensive player selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Kentucky guard transformed himself into one of the top centers in college football after switching positions in 2021.
The third-round pick was thrown into the fire during Jacksonville’s first preseason action against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Fortner looked cool and collected in his first action as a rookie, but he joked that was not the case.
“I was stressing the whole time, don’t worry,” Fortner joked afterward at his locker. “I needed all the reps I can get. I’m nowhere close to being good enough for this team and I’m working on that every day. These are the reps I need.”
The biggest takeaway from his debut at starting center for Jacksonville was his agile ability to get out to the second level and adjust on linebackers. It was noticeable time and time again: His execution to get up field and be effective.
“Yeah, it was something I wasn’t great at when I first started playing college ball,” Fortner said. “I worked on it for a while so I’m glad someone noticed, and I appreciate it (laughs).”
Known for his exceptional leadership and intelligence, Fortner looked well equipped for the rigors of playing center in the National Football League. He reacted well to picking up the blitz and double defenders on cue.
“The older guys have really taken me under their wing,” Fortner said. “They made sure I didn’t feel too uncomfortable, but just uncomfortable enough (smiles). Nothing too crazy. They have helped me out a lot and (I) definitely feel better moving forward.”
Working with the first unit at the start of training camp, Fortner has delivered thus far, but he knows plenty of work lies ahead for him to capitalize on becoming a long-time starter and being a real difference-maker for a young team looking to turn the tide.
“Positive and negative,” Fortner said about his game.
“The positive is it’s football at the end of the day. I’ve been OK with that for most of my life and that was good. No. 2, I think I just reverted back to some old things I used to do in college. The first few weeks of camp, they (coaches) tried to train that out of me.”
Fortner mentioned that “trusting” the training will help him continue the transition from top collegiate prospect to top-tier professional in the NFL.
The importance of his ascent cannot be understated.
His emergence in this offense in correlation to the progression of second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence is one of the most vital projects for Jacksonville’s long-term success offensively.
The quarterback/center tandem must become the foundation to a winning offensive team.
Think Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. Ben Roethlisberger and Maurkice Pouncey. Those combinations became the foundation to a winning offensive unit.
How quickly Lawrence and Fortner gel will go a long way in determining the success of Jacksonville. In Week 2 of the preseason, the pair should finally see live action against an opposing team when they face the Cleveland Browns in Jacksonville.
Keep your eye on how this talented duo meshes; the sky is the limit.
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