Bills' rookie continues draft steal narrative after highly-rated performance

Buffalo's rookie defensive tackle had one of his best games of the season against the Buccaneers

Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker (96) and safety Jordan Poyer (21) tackle Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker (44) | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Deone Walker looks like a steal of a fourth round pick for the Buffalo Bills. He continued his strong rookie campaign with an impressive outing against the Buccaneers on Sunday, being named to PFF's Week 11 Rookie Team of the Week.

Jim Wyman writes that Walker's performance, "was a big reason the team was able to answer the call." Even though the Bills allowed Sean Tucker to have a career day, Walker "was a brick wall in run defense, delivering a career-high 80.2 grade in that field on 23 snaps - 21.7% of which received positive grades, with zero negatives."

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Walker's overall grade of 84.6 was the second highest among any rookie defensive lineman in Week 11, trailing only Arizona's first round pick Walter Nolen and his 90.3 performance.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) is tackled by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker (96) | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Kentucky product recorded four total tackles and one defensive stop against Tampa, bringing his totals on the season to 22 and 15 respectively. Walker has also notched two sacks, 13 pressures, and two batted passes on the year. His PFF pass rush grade of 73.3 ranks 22nd among all interior defensive linemen this season.

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Other rookies to make the Team of the Week include Cam Ward, Tetairoa McMillan, Colston Loveland, and Armand Membou.

With starting DT Ed Oliver out for the rest of the regular season, the Bills will need to continue relying on Walker to play above his draft status. If second round pick TJ Sanders can follow suit, Brandon Beane may have solved the team's long-term question of the defensive tackle position in one draft class.

Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker (96) reacts after a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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