Freshmen Faces: Jalon Walker
Six seasons into the Kirby Smart era in Athens, Georgia, the University of Georgia is known for a multitude of things; one is its strong defenses, a strong running game with a host of running backs. This history predates Kirby Smart's playing days, and most recently, Georgia is developing a reputation at inside linebacker.
Under the guidance of inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann, Georgia has produced three NFL linebackers: a first-round pick Roquan Smith, the former Butkus Award winner is now a standout player for the Bears. In contrast, his former teammate Tae Crowder is a starter for the New York Giants after being taken last overall in the 2020 Draft, also becoming known as "Mr. Irrelevant."
It will come as no surprise this coming April when Georgia adds three more to that list of former Bulldog linebackers contributing at a high level in the NFL. Nakobe Dean, Georgia's second-ever Butkus award winner, is a projected first-round pick, while his fellow teammates Quay Walker and Channing Tindall look to be Day Two picks.
It will now be up to incoming five-star linebacker Jalon Walker to help fill the void left behind by Dean, Tindall, and Walker. So what did Brooks Austin have to say about the 6-foot-3, 225-pound athlete?
"As can be seen on Walker's highlight tape, he's an immensely talented athlete that plays in space a lot. He's an outside linebacker on the high-school level, but unfortunately there are few programs that still play the traditional outside linebacker on the college level. Today, high-school outside linebackers have one of two options — become an edge rusher or an inside linebacker."
"According to sources, Walker is doing the latter for the University of Georgia. And he fits the mold of the most recent commits at the position. Georgia recruited three inside linebackers in the 2021 recruiting class: Smael Mondon, Xavian Sorey and Jamon Dumas-Johnson. Both Mondon and Sorey are 6-foot-3, 225-pound athletes being asked to play linebacker."
Walker is not only a SI99 caliber physical evaluation on tape, ranking No. 89 overall in the class of 2022, but he's an exceptional character eval as well. A consummate leader on a state championship program at Salisbury high school in North Carolina, Walker seems mature beyond his years.
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