UCF Recruiting Class Impact: DT John Walker
It’s difficult to place into finite terms what landing defensive tackle John Walker means to the UCF Football program.
One thing is for sure, adding him to the 2023 recruiting class is further proof that UCF is heading into the Big XII conference with the type of talent that can compete right for the league’s top spot for years to come.
Moving forward, there’s another important point to Walker joining the UCF fold. It’s one that Malzahn, Defensive Coordinator Travis Williams and the entire UCF Football program can build around when they communicate with other recruits.
Why not come to UCF?
Walker committed to the Knights over a litany of national offers. Name a national top 10 program and it has probably offered Walker a football scholarship. Still, he picked the Knights.
Walker admitted he has been silently committed to UCF for three months proir to publicly announcing.
Since UCF is a relatively new college football program, landing elite recruits has not been common. Things are changing in Orlando with a higher propensity to sign top talent, and Walker is the latest example.
Now, when Malzahn picks up his cell phone to call a recruit, it certainly will not hurt that Walker is in the fold when trying to land even more top prospects. Other recruits are going to notice; great players want to play with other great players.
Beyond the cache of landing the Orlando-area prospect, he has the skills to be an impact recruit.
Walker has continued to get better even after the following evaluation was written prior to his junior season. Better use of his hands, quicker off the line of scrimmage, and added strength are all noticeable differences.
When seeing Walker work through the bag drills at the Miami Under Armour Camp this past February, it was also obvious he had improved his core strength and flexibility. Watch how he moves through the bag drills while bending around each corner:
Walker can power through offensive linemen and reset the line of scrimmage. That’s a rare skill. It’s also one that can help him get on the gridiron as a freshman.
Looking towards his first college season in 2023, Walker has a chance to make an immediate impact in Orlando. There’s always room for an interior defensive lineman that can penetrate into the backfield and create havoc. Hard to imagine him not at least being in UCF’s defensive line rotation.
Lastly, it’s great that Walker is combining his talents with another player from the greater Orlando area, edge defender Kaven Call from Apopka (Fla.) High School. He’s one of the best pass rushers in the state of Florida and the country.
Anytime UCF can add defensive line talent to one recruiting class like Call and Walker, that’s a win for UCF and a loss for opposing quarterbacks.
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