Maryland TE Rico Walker commits to Auburn football

The Tigers have landed a transfer tight end.

Author:
Lance Dawe
Publish date:
Jan 8, 2024 12:46 PM EST

In this story:

Auburn football has landed a transfer tight end.

Rico Walker, a 6-foot-4, 248-pound freshman tight end at Maryland, has transferred to the Tigers, per Jeffrey Lee of On3.

Walker appeared in eight games for the Terrapins in 2023, recording four receptions for 28 yards and no touchdowns. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. He chose Auburn over South Florida and Pittsburgh.

He was a four-star athlete coming out of high school, rated as the No. 10 athlete and the No. 234 overall prospect in the 2023 class.

“They see me more as Rivaldo (Fairweather), but they see that I can block a lot,” Walker told On3. “So, it’s like, ‘OK, we don’t have to take you out of the game when we need to block.’

“That’s one thing they love about me so much is my versatility. I can display what I can do passing wise. They love what they’re seeing on film.”

Walker finished 2023 with a PFF grade of 46.4. Not a great grade, but he only played 138 snaps, most of which came earlier in the season during the non-conference slate. He also had a strong 77.3 pass blocking grade.

Despite losing three tight ends to graduation and the transfer portal, Auburn will feature Walker alongside Rivaldo Fairweather and Micah Riley-Ducker at the position this upcoming season. Fairweather, a transfer from FIU, just broke the Tigers' single-season record for receptions by a tight end.