Darrell Luter Jr.

Darrell Luter Jr.
No. 28 – San Francisco 49ers
Position:Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (2000-04-24) April 24, 2000 (age 24)
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:Oak Grove
(Hattiesburg, Mississippi)
College:Pearl River CC (2018–2019)
South Alabama (2020–2022)
NFL draft:2023 / round: 5 / pick: 155
Career history
Roster status:Injured reserve
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:7
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Darrell Akeem Luter Jr. (born April 24, 2000)[1] is an American professional football cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Alabama.

Early life

Luter was born on April 24, 2000, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.[1] He attended Oak Grove High School and played football for three years, basketball for two years and track for one year.[2] Despite many of his teammates being highly recruited (including six who signed with Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams), Luter was not, and eventually committed to Pearl River Community College.[3]

College career

Luter played at Pearl River from 2018 to 2019, being named second-team all-conference as a sophomore.[3] 247Sports ranked him a three-star junior college recruit and among the top 40 cornerbacks nationally, and after graduating from the school he signed with South Alabama.[4][5] He appeared in all 11 games in his first year with the team, and although he was for most of the season third-string on the depth chart, Luter was able to tie for the team lead in tackles among players at cornerback.[3][6]

Luter had a breakout year in 2021, placing third in the FBS in pass breakups while posting four interceptions and only allowing receptions on 26.7% of the passes thrown at him.[2][7] Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him a second-team All-America selection after the season.[8] As a senior in 2022, he recorded seven pass breakups and only one interception, partly attributed to being targeted less by quarterbacks.[7] Luter was invited to the 2023 Senior Bowl and finished his stint at South Alabama having only allowed catches on 45.3% of passes thrown at him, while recording 17 pass breakups and drawing only six penalties.[2][7]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
5 ft 11+3⁄4 in
(1.82 m) 		189 lb
(86 kg) 		32+3⁄8 in
(0.82 m) 		10+3⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		 4.46 s 1.57 s 2.58 s 4.38 s 6.90 s 40.5 in
(1.03 m)		 10 ft 3 in
(3.12 m)
Sources:[9][10]

Luter was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round (155th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.[11] He was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start the 2023 season.[12] On November 18, he was activated from the reserve/PUP.[13]

During the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs, Luter was charged with a fumble after he failed to get out of the way of a Tommy Townsend punt that struck his heel. On the very next play, the Chiefs scored and took the lead.[14][15]

On November 16, 2024, Luter was placed on injured reserve.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Darrell Luter Jr". South Alabama Jaguars.
  2. ^ a b c Garrett, Tommy (April 9, 2023). "Darrell Luter Jr., CB, South Alabama | NFL Draft Scouting Report". Pro Football Network.
  3. ^ a b c Stephenson, Craig (March 23, 2022). "Late-blooming Darrell Luter could be South Alabama's next NFL prospect". AL.com.
  4. ^ "NFL Draft Profile: Darrell Luter Jr., Cornerback, South Alabama Jaguars". Sports Illustrated. November 26, 2022.
  5. ^ Crawford, Gary (December 18, 2019). "USA Jags sign 19 football players during early period". MyNBC.com. WPMI-TV.
  6. ^ "Darrell Luter". On3.com.
  7. ^ a b c Munoz, Robert (March 1, 2023). "NFL Draft: Darrell Luter Jr. Has Potential To Be NFL Starter". HERO Sports.
  8. ^ Madson, Kyle (March 27, 2023). "NFL draft: 49ers hold 2nd meeting with CB Darrell Luter Jr". USA Today.
  9. ^ "Darrell Luter Jr. Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Darrell Luter Jr. College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  11. ^ McDonald, Briana (April 29, 2023). "49ers Select CB Darrell Luter Jr. with the No. 155 Pick in the 2023 NFL Draft". 49ers.com. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  12. ^ "49ers Announce Moves for Initial 53-Man Roster". 49ers.com. August 29, 2023.
  13. ^ "49ers Activate Cornerback and Offensive Lineman". 49ers.com. November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  14. ^ Jordan, Terrence (February 12, 2024). "3 San Francisco 49ers to blame for the team's crushing Super Bowl loss". FanSided.com. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  15. ^ Inabinett, Mark (February 12, 2024). "49ers' Darrell Luter Jr.: 'It makes you feel like it was all on you'". AL.com. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  16. ^ "Yetur Gross-Matos Activated from IR, Luter Jr. & Wishnowsky Placed on IR, Other Moves Ahead of #SEAvsSF". 49ers.com. November 16, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.