Canal Street Chronicles
Earlier this week, the New Orleans Saints made a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, sending DT Khalen Sanders to the Jags in exchange for C Luke Fortner. The move was pretty simple; Sanders was likely to be cut from the Saints, and Fortner was likely to be cut from the Jags, so both teams made a move to fill a position of need and give each player a chance to make an active roster.
Today, we’re going to take a look at Fortner’s PFF stats and grades and see just what the Saints are getting in their new center.
The Jaguars selected Luke Fortner with the first pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He had a very successful five-year career with the Kentucky Wildcats, where he played both guard positions and center.
In his first four years as a guard, Fortner played over 1,400 snaps and was very solid. He earned an 87.0 pass blocking grade as a freshman before following it up with an 83.0 and 77.0. In contrast, his run blocking grades went up in each of his first four years, topping out at a 75.3 in year four.
Heading into his final season with the Wildcats, Fortner moved to center, where he played 848 snaps in 2021. He finished the year with an 82.8 pass blocking grade and an 84.5 run blocking grade while allowing just five pressures all year. This was enough for the Jags to make him the third center taken in the draft, behind two Pro Bowlers, Tyler Linderbaum and Cam Jurgens.
Unfortunately, Fortner’s success hasn’t translated to the pro level. In four years with the Jags, Fortner has been a starter for two of them in 2022 and 2023, playing over 2,200 snaps during that time. He became a liability at the center of the offensive line, never posting a pass blocking or run blocking grade higher than a 57.5. In 2025, he played 12 snaps and earned a 28.5 pass blocking grade.
In his two years as a starter, Fortner allowed a combined 60 pressures, 46 hurries, and five sacks. He also posted run blocking grades of 46.4 and 40.0 in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
With Will Clapp done for the year, this was obviously a move to try and get more depth at the interior of their offensive line. Fortner isn’t the same quality of player as Clapp, but he gives the Saints another option if someone goes down.
