SI All-American: Breaking Down Louisville CB Commit Kani Walker

SI All-American has announced their watch list for the 2020 Sports Illustrated All-America team of high school senior football players, and Louisville cornerback commit Kani Walker was among the 1,000 candidates named.

Here is their full evaluation and highlights of Walker:

Prospect: CB/WR Kani Walker
Projected Position: Cornerback
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 194 pounds
School: Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County
Committed to: Louisville

Frame: Tall and slender. Adequate width through shoulders, chest. Long arms, with budding sinew. Small, tightly-wound lower half. Ample room for additional weight, but doesn’t need more at cornerback.

Athleticism: Quick, light feet. Wastes little to no motion in and out of cuts as cover man. Above-average speed at best; not the most fluid sprinter in open field. Needs to get stronger, but packs punch as hitter. Good ball skills.

Instincts: Solid overall awareness in defensive backfield. Reads quarterback’s eyes in zone and as deep safety, quickly planting foot toward ball upon diagnosing. Physical and opportunistic in one-on-one coverage. Offers willing, effective support in run game; big hitter with shoulders square.

Polish: Advanced ability to mirror receivers at LOS. Jam shows promise. Must continue honing hip, ankle flexibility to remain at cornerback. Comfortable playing multiple positions in secondary.

Bottom Line: Walker has the tools to play on either side at the next level, but Louisville recruited him at cornerback. Needs to prove play speed and hip flexibility is on par with Power-5 receivers to remain on outside. Ceiling is highest at cornerback, but he’s versatile enough to play either safety spot. Potential starter and surefire contributor for Cardinals, with upside dependent on role.

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