2021 • SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Postseason: Accepted an invitation to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl...Named third-team All-Big Ten by the media and honorable mention by the coaches. Weekly: Selected PFF Defensive Player of the Week (9/13). Preseason: Named to the Butkus Award and Reese's Senior Bowl Watch Lists...Selected for NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Preseason Big Board.
Season: Has appeared in 12 games, making eight starts.
at Wisconsin (9/4): Recorded five tackles, including four solo...Had a QB hurry. Ball State (9/11): Tallied four tackles...Returned his first career interception for a 16-yard touchdown...Selected Coaching Staff's Defensive Player of the Week. Auburn (9/18): Posted eight tackles with one tackle for loss and a QB hit. Villanova (9/25): Recorded two tackles. Indiana (10/2): Assisted on three tackles...Added a half tackle for loss and a QB hurry. at Iowa (10/9): Tallied five tackles with a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss and two QB hurries. Illinois (10/23): Recorded six tackles with a half sack. at Ohio State (10/30): Posted seven tackles with a tackle for loss. Michigan (11/13): Tallied seven tackles. Rutgers (11/20): Assisted on a tackle. at Michigan State (11/27): Had four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. vs. Arkansas (1/1): Made nine tackles and a tackle for loss.
2020 • JUNIOR SEASON
Season: Appeared in nine games, making eight starts...Selected as a team captain...Made 59 tackles (2nd on team), including 31 solo stops, to go along with 2.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and three pass breakups.
at Indiana (10/24): Registered three tackles, including two solo. Ohio State (10/31): Tallied eight tackles, all coming in the second half. Maryland (11/7): Posted four tackles, including two solo. at Nebraska (11/14): Registered nine tackles, including five solo...Made a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter...Broke up a pass. Iowa (11/21): Made seven tackles, including five solo stops. at Michigan (11/28): Recorded four tackles, including two solo. at Rutgers (12/5): Registered a career-best 10 tackles, including six solo...Recorded first career fumble recovery in the third quarter after Ellis Brooks stripped the ball...Matched a career high with one tackle for loss. Michigan State (12/12): Made seven tackles (2 solo) with an assisted tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Illinois (12/19): Recorded seven tackles (3 solo) and a pass breakup.
2019 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 13 games, making two starts...One of 18 Nittany Lions to make their first career start.
Idaho (8/31): Collected three tackles, including one solo...Assisted on a tackle for loss...Broke up a pass. Buffalo (9/7): Posted two tackles. Pittsburgh (9/14): Registered two tackles...Added a pass breakup. at Maryland (9/27): Recorded five tackles...Had one pass breakup. Purdue (10/5): Posted three tackles. at Iowa (10/12): Secured one tackle. Michigan (10/19): Assisted on one tackle...Had one pass breakup. at Michigan State (10/26): Secured one tackle. Indiana (11/16): Collected three tackles, including two solo. at Ohio State (11/23): Recorded one tackle. Rutgers (11/30): Made one stop. vs. Memphis (12/28): Posted one tackle.
2018 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Appeared in 12 games...One of 16 true freshmen to make their collegiate debut...One of 40 players to make their first Penn State appearance.
Appalachian State (9/1): Made collegiate debut on special teams. at Pittsburgh (9/8): Recorded a tackle. Kent State (9/15): Registered three tackles. Michigan State (10/13): Assisted on a tackle on a kick return. Iowa (10/27): Made a tackle on a punt return. Maryland (11/24): Assisted on a tackle on defense.
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-time letterman for head coach Jeff Root at Mercyhurst Prep...Three-time team captain...Helped the Lakers to a 10-1 record and a runner-up finish in the District 10 Class AAA Championship game as a senior...Earned Rivals100 invitation...Named Pennsylvania Football News (PFN) Class 3A Defensive Player of the Year in 2017...Collected PFN All-Class 3A first-team honors in junior and senior seasons...Claimed a first-team spot on USA Today’s All-USA Pennsylvania Football Team as a senior...Garnered Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class 3A All-State first-team honors in 2016 and 2017...Named All-WesternPAFootball.net first team in 2016...Selected first-team all-region in 2016 and 2017...Earned all-conference accolades twice...Named team MVP twice...Registered 69 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries as a senior...Had 88 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 15.0 TFL, five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, and three fumble recoveries as a junior...Rated as a four-star prospect by all three major recruiting outlets – 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals...Rated the No. 287 overall recruit, No. 8 prospect in Pennsylvania and No. 17 inside linebacker by 247Sports...Ranked as the No. 199 overall prospect, No. 7 inside linebacker, No. 7 recruit in Pennsylvania and No. 23 prospect in the region by ESPN...Ranked the No. 13 outside linebacker and No. 10 recruit in Pennsylvania by Rivals...Lettered in basketball as a junior.
PERSONAL
Full name is Jesse Shimba Luketa...Son of Rose Luketa...Has two brothers, Joe Betu and Gino, and four sisters, Leslie, Laura, Sandrine and Guylaine...Hobbies include spending time with family and his nephews, reading and working out...Volunteered with the Salvation Army in Canada...Majoring in criminology...Born January 15, 1999 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.