2022 Linebacker Jalon Walker Admires the Culture Coach Ed Orgeron is Building at LSU
Jalon Walker caught LSU coach Ed Orgeron in a pretty good mood earlier this week when he got to speak with the Tigers coach for the very first time. The 2022 linebacker prospect talked to Orgeron just hours before LSU's ring ceremony celebrating the accomplishments of the 2019 team.
"He said that if I could become an LSU Tiger and help him capture a few more rings," Walker said. "I was able to find out about some of his background and you can tell he's a player's coach, even just off the initial conversation I had with him."
Orgeron and LSU are just one of the big programs to offer the Salisbury, North Carolina native thus far, a list that includes Ohio State, Texas, Oregon and home state school UNC and coach Mack Brown. Walker is currently the No. 15 ranked outside linebacker in the 2022 class on 247Sports, with the Tigers most recently showing interest in his potential.
LSU offered Walker back on June 11 and since that time he's been able to get on the phone with defensive coordinator Bo Pelini in addition to Orgeron. Pelini not only returns as LSU's coordinator in 2020 but has experience as a linebackers coach as well.
Walker said that aspect of having a coordinator who spends that extra time with his position group would only help in his development.
"They're very fired up about me, they think I fit there scheme at LSU very well because they see their linebackers as fast, athletic and aggressive," Walker said. "Coach O told me he was fired up and that he loves my tape, he loves the energy I bring.”
The general sense Walker has received from LSU is that the program wants him to stay in touch as much as possible in the coming weeks and months to continue to build those strong relationships with the coaching staff.
Right now, with the 2020 season still in a state of uncertainty, Walker doesn't know when he'll be able to get down to Baton Rouge for a visit but is hoping sometime in the fall if the dead period is lifted.
His development on the field as a sophomore is why so many schools are interested in Walker at the moment. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker had a breakout season in 2019 and listed his length, athleticism and ability to play the run and blitz as some of the more polished traits within his game.
This offseason, Walker has tried his best to continue to put on muscle to further fill out his frame but it's his awareness that he thinks will help him find an extra gear within his game.
"Getting familiar with my drops and the areas that I have to cover will only help. Once I get to the season, I'll know what I'm doing on the field," Walker said. "Improving on my awareness will really help me become more of a playmaker and unlock some more potential in that respect."
His father, Curtis, has played an integral role in his development over the last year as a former linebacker and current head coach at Catawba College, a Division II program in Salisbury.
"We've both enjoyed the process, he played in college but never received the amount of attention I'm getting so we're enjoying it as it comes," Walker said. "He's giving me advice to use my time wisely and keep focus on the schools that are keeping interest in me. He's really encouraged me to research every option and make the best decision possible."
Finding that best fit is everything to Walker, who will continue to research and learn more about the various programs as the offers continue to pour in. LSU was one of the many teams Walker followed in 2019 and with its recent decision to switch to a 4-3 scheme under Pelini, Walker says it's a system he not only knows well, but thinks he could thrive in.
"That's what we run at my high school with me primarily as the outside backer that sets the edge so I'm very familiar with it," Walker said. "I think they [LSU] see me as a hybrid backer that would be able to cover in space and blitz as well, so like a SAM or a WILL."
Through his initial research into the LSU program, Walker has found that Baton Rouge is a "great community" with passionate fans about their football team. At the end of the day, finding a program that’s has a dedicated fan base is another aspect Walker is looking for in his ideal match.
"Everybody comes to the games, everybody supports the team and not just in football but other athletic sports as well," Walker said. "I can't make a full decision if I don't have that in-person experience on their campus so I can't wait to get down there, hopefully soon. I think that's a great school for being a part of a family and a close culture that's woven together."
