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There was always a football player inside Junior Luke. It was only a question how it would be nurtured and harnessed.

“Obviously from a football perspective, you saw a kid that was gifted, that had the ability to do some special things at our level,” said Danny Maciocia, the head coach at Université de Montréal. “We also saw a kid that got away with a lot of things, strictly on the fact he was so gifted. He could take a few shortcuts and still be the dominant player.”

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When Luke, a 6-foot-2, 286-pound defensive-tackle arrived on campus four years ago from Vanier CEGEP, he weighed about 325 pounds. He didn’t train, take care or apply himself. He wasn’t fully committed. But Maciocia and his assistant coaches saw a diamond in the rough, refusing to give up on the talented prospect.

Today, Luke’s on his way to a degree in social work, specializing in rehabilitation and preventing drug addiction. He wants to eventually become a coach or work with troubled youth. The 25-year-old also is the 11th-ranked prospect by the Canadian Football League’s scouting bureau heading into Sunday night’s Canadian college draft. And, regardless of what happens this weekend, Luke has accepted an invitation to the New York Giants’ three-day mini camp, beginning May 12.