| Penn State Nittany Lions–No. 0 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Class |  |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Wyoming Area High School |
Dominic DeLuca is an American football linebacker for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
DeLuca attended Wyoming Area High School in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where he led the football team to a PIAA title as a senior in 2019 despite suffering a torn ACL which he continued to play on. [1] Coming out of high school, DeLuca committed to play college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, joining the team as a walk-on. [2]
As a freshman in 2021, DeLuca took a redshirt, appearing in just three games for Penn State. [3] In 2022, he notched 29 tackles, a sack, and a blocked punt. [4] [5] Heading into the 2023 season, DeLuca was awarded a scholarship. [6] In week 2 of the 2023 season, he returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown versus Delaware. [7] In 2023, DeLuca appeared in all 13 games for Penn State, where he tallied 29 tackles with four and a half being for a loss, a sack, three pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a touchdown. [8] During the first round of the 2024–25 College Football Playoff, DeLuca notched five tackles with half a tackle being for a loss, and a half a sack, [9] but his two biggest plays were his two interceptions, one that he returned 23 yards for the game's first score, as he helped the Nittany Lions to a 38–10 win over the SMU Mustangs. [10]