Penn State linebacker Dominic DeLuca is headed to the NFL. After five years in Happy Valley, the Wyoming Area grad signed a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens after the end of the draft on Saturday.
Barry Reeger | AP file photo
Dominic DeLuca realized another of his football dreams Saturday night.
DeLuca signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Wyoming Area and Penn State graduate was surrounded by family when he received the call, putting him in position to agree to the deal in the immediate aftermath of the conclusion of the third and final day of the NFL draft.
Family members confirmed multiple reports out of Baltimore about the signing.
DeLuca arrived at Penn State as a walk-on recovering from major knee surgery and worked his way up to scholarship athlete, three-time team captain and eventually starting linebacker.
The special teams play that helped him earn a scholarship while still a reserve also helped make DeLuca more attractive to NFL scouts. He went into the draft aware of interest from multiple NFL teams.
At Wyoming Area, DeLuca returned to the field the day of his torn ACL to lead a fourth-quarter comeback that produced a state championship title for the Warriors.
SIX MORE LIONS DRAFTED
Kaytron Allen may have left Penn State as the leading rusher in the school’s decorated history at the position, but he had to wait the longest to hear his name called at the draft this weekend.
Allen, who ran for 4,180 yards in four seasons with the Nittany Lions, was the sixth and final player selected on the last day of the draft on Saturday. Both of the Lions’ record-setting rushers were picked on Saturday as Nick Singleton went in the fifth round to the Tennessee Titans (165th overall) and Allen was taken in the sixth by the Washington Commanders (187th.)
Saturday opened with tackle Drew Shelton going to the Dallas Cowboys (112th) and edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton eight picks later to the Green Bay Packers (120th).
Following them were safety Zakee Wheatley (Carolina Panthers, 151st), Singleton and defensive tackle Zane Durant (Buffalo Bills, 181st).
Guard Vega Ioane was a first-round pick at No. 14 to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. Quarterback Drew Allar went to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Friday’s third round at No. 76 overall.
