Luke Petitbon

NFL Draft Profile: Luke Petitbon

Position: Center (C) / Interior Offensive Line (IOL)

School: Florida State (via Wake Forest) | Class: Redshirt Senior

Height: 6'2" | Weight: 310 lbs | Archetype: Pass Blocker (Technical Anchor)

College Career Summary

Luke Petitbon is the definition of a "technician." After appearing in 38 games with 22 starts at Wake Forest, where he mastered the complexities of the "slow-mesh" RPO offense, Petitbon transferred to Florida State for the 2025 season. He became the first Seminole center to start every game of the regular season since 2018, leading a unit that finished as a Joe Moore Award semifinalist.

Petitbon’s 2025 campaign was historic for FSU. He was the highest-graded pass-blocking center in the ACC and third nationally (88.3 PFF grade). He anchored the ACC's #1 rushing offense, helping FSU set program records for rushing yards and touchdowns. A third-generation standout (grandson of NFL safety/DC Richie Petitbon), Luke combines a high football IQ with elite leverage to neutralize larger, more athletic nose tackles.

Career Stats & Highlights

• Career Starts: 34 (22 at Wake Forest, 12 at Florida State)

• 2025 Sacks Allowed: 0

• 2025 Pressures Allowed: 7

• Pancakes/Knockdowns: 48 (2025 season)

• Holding Penalties: 1 (2025)

• 2025 Honors: First-Team All-ACC; Rimington Trophy Semifinalist; Outland Trophy National Player of the Week (vs. Alabama).

2025 Game-by-Game Grades

Week	Opponent	Grade	Scout's Notes
1	vs #8 Alabama	A+	The Apex. Led unit to 230 rush yards; Outland Player of the Week.
2	vs ETAMU	A	Perfect pass protection; helped offense produce 700+ total yards.
3	vs Kent State	A	Paved way for program-record 498 rushing yards and 8 TDs.
4	vs Virginia	B+	Clinical performance in space; identified multiple exotic blitzes.
5	@ Miami (FL)	A-	Neutralized elite interior speed; zero pressures allowed in rivalry game.
6	vs Clemson	B	High-level battle with Peter Woods; held his own but struggled with reach blocks.
7	@ Stanford	A	Named ACC O-Lineman of the Week; 93% coaching grade.
8	vs North Carolina	B+	Dominant in the run game; high motor on second-level climbs.
9	@ Notre Dame	C+	Worst Game. Struggled with the size of ND’s NT; 1 hurry allowed.
10	@ NC State	A-	Masterclass in communication; kept QB clean for 60 minutes.
11	vs Florida	B+	Physical performance to close out the regular season; 4 pancakes.
12	ACC Champ (UVA)	A-	Orchestrated the offense to a conference title; elite IQ on display.

Scouting Grade Rubric

Intangibles (.20) — Grade: 96/100

• Leadership: Elite. FSU Bobby Bowden Leadership Award winner; natural captain.

• Mental Toughness: High; successfully moved systems and immediately led a new unit.

• Competitor: Plus; plays with a nasty streak despite his technical "finesse" label.

• Team Player: FSU Newcomer of the Year; consistently credits his "Law Firm" (unit).

• Star: High; his pre-snap calls are the catalyst for FSU’s most improved offense.

Physical Tools (.20) — Grade: 78/100

• Height/Weight: 6'2", 310 lbs. (Fails height benchmark; Borderline weight).

• Stamina: High; took the most snaps (795) on the FSU offensive line.

• Durability: Elite. Started all 12+ games in 2025; robust injury history.

• Injury History: Medically clean.

Attributes (.20) — Grade: 92/100

• Run Block: Plus; ranked 3rd in the ACC in run blocking (73.4 grade).

• Pass Block: Strength. Elite 88.3 PFF grade; zero sacks allowed in 2025.

• Strength: Good; uses leverage to displace larger men, though lacks "mauler" power.

• Technique: Elite. Footwork and strike timing are textbook.

• High Motor: Non-stop; often found finishing blocks 15 yards downfield.

Athleticism (.20) — Grade: 85/100

• Speed: Good; excellent at getting to the second level to seal linebackers.

• Agility: Plus; short-area quickness allows him to mirror twitchy sub-package rushers.

• Flexibility: High; natural knee-bender; background in "slow-mesh" helped hip mobility.

• Acceleration: Sudden; fires off the ball with immediate intent.

• Footwork: Clinical; precise, choppy steps in pass sets.

IQ (.20) — Grade: 98/100

• Awareness: Outlier. Diagnostic skills for stunts/blitzes are already at an NFL level.

Scouting Report

• Strengths: Elite football IQ and lineage; statistically the best pass-protecting center in the ACC; masterful at identifying defensive rotations; extremely efficient "latch and drive" run blocker.

• Weaknesses: Size. At 6'2", he will be among the shortest centers in the NFL; lacks the massive wingspan to recover if beaten on the initial step; can get overwhelmed by pure "Planet Theory" nose tackles (340+ lbs).

• Scheme Fit: Ideal for a Zone-Run or West Coast system that prizes movement and intelligence (e.g., Rams, Dolphins, 49ers).

• NFL Comparison: David Andrews / Ben Jones.

Scout's Final Word

"Luke Petitbon is a 'safety blanket' prospect. He isn't the freak athlete who will jump out of the stadium, but he is the brain that makes an entire offense function. His 2025 tape against Alabama and Miami proved he can handle elite SEC/ACC speed. While his lack of height limits his ceiling, his floor is a 10-year NFL starter. Draft Projection: 2nd - 3rd Round."