Luke Fortner and Landon Young are back together again in New Orleans
The Big Blue Wall is piecing itself back together in New Orleans, and this time, it’s for an assignment that may make Kentucky fans do a double-take: protecting a Louisville quarterback.
According to Tom Pelissero, the Jaguars are sending former Kentucky center Luke Fortner to the Saints in the Khalen Saunders trade. Fortner, who logged 55 career games with 36 consecutive starts in Lexington from 2016–2021, was one of the anchors of the Big Blue Wall. He played both right guard and center while helping Kentucky’s offensive line earn Joe Moore Award recognition four straight years, including a finalist finish in 2021.
Fortner was drafted by Jacksonville in 2022 and immediately stepped in as the starting center, starting 34 straight games across his first two seasons. But after the Jaguars signed veteran Mitch Morse last offseason, Fortner lost his starting job and didn’t start a single game in 2024. That opened the door for Jacksonville to move him this summer.
In New Orleans, Fortner won’t be alone. He’ll be joining another former Wildcat, Landon Young, who has quietly carved out a role on the Saints’ offensive line since being drafted in 2021. Young, a Lexington native, was a stalwart at left tackle for Kentucky and a team captain during his senior year in 2020. He’s battled through injuries but has grown into a dependable rotational lineman, seeing action in 56 games across his first four pro seasons.
Together, Fortner and Young now form a mini–Big Blue Wall reunion in the NFL. And in one of football’s many twists of irony, their job will be to protect Tyler Shough, New Orleans’ rookie quarterback who once suited up for Louisville. Shough, the Saints’ second-round pick this spring, transferred to Louisville for his final college season after previous stops at Oregon and Texas Tech. He also helped engineer the 41-14 beatdown in Lexington last year.
So yes—two Kentucky Wildcats up front, tasked with keeping a former Cardinal upright. It feels strange to say, but it’s also a testament to the Big Blue Wall’s legacy: producing linemen who find ways to stick in the league, no matter the colors of the quarterback standing behind them.