NFL Draft Profile: Quay Walker, Linebacker, Georgia Bulldogs
#7
Pos: LB
Ht: 6036
Wt: 241
Hand: 0928
Arm: 3258
Wing: 7978
40: 4.52
Bench: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Vert: 32
Broad: 1002
DOB: 5/8/_
Eligible: 2022
Cordele, GA
Crisp County
Quay Walker
Georgia Bulldogs
Pros:
Inside linebacker who lines up as an overhang and on the line of scrimmage occasionally. Walker possesses great length. His speed and range are good, getting sideline to sideline and closing quickly. He can carry tight ends up the seam and shows good acceleration. Thanks to his athleticism, Walker excels in pursuit and is dangerous on the blitz, avoiding blocking running backs. He is very good at stacking and shedding, possessing the length and physicality required. In space, he shows quick and violent hands to beat climbing blockers. Walker uses his length to bail him out when he takes an unfavorable angle as a tackler. He is active in coverage with good foot speed, using his length, he can break up passes from behind.
Cons:
Displaying below average eye discipline and inconsistent processing and recognition skills cause him to be out of position or fail to locate ball carriers. Walker possesses below-average agility, struggling to change directions and adjust angles in pursuit. He is not quick enough to stick with slot receivers in coverage and lacks instincts, making him a spot dropper who misses out on opportunities to make plays on the ball. Walker is unable to stop the momentum of ball carriers and overruns angles when playing downhill. He dives at ankles in space, making him a slightly below-average tackler.
Summary:
Long linebacker with good speed and range. Walker possesses the physicality and quick hands to take on and shed blocks consistently. He displays below-average recognition skills and lacks instincts in coverage. Walker projects as a special teams standout who has the physical traits required to develop into a starting off ball linebacker if he can improve his eyes.
Background:
Quay Walker attended Crisp County High School in Georgia where he played linebacker and some wide receiver, tallying 76 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and five pass deflections as a senior, while also catching 13 passes for 201 yards and five touchdowns. In addition, Walker was named to the Butkus Award watch list and the USA Today 2017 Georgia All-USA Second-Team defense. Walker also started for his high school basketball team which won a regional title in 2017. After high school, 247Sports ranked him as a 4-Star recruit, the 31st-best recruit nationally, the 2nd-ranked outside linebacker recruit in the country and the 6th recruit in the state of Georgia.
Walker committed to the Georgia Bulldogs and his freshman season in 2018 saw him gain action in all 14 games, finishing with six tackles. In 2019, Walker progressed slightly, finding action in 13 of 14 games and tallying 23 tackles, three and a half tackles for loss and two and a half sacks. In 2020, he played a bigger role - still not a starter - for the Bulldogs and finished with 43 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. 2021 has been Walker’s best year yet, starting all 13 games and tallying 51 tackles, four and a half tackles for loss and one and a half sacks which two passes defensed and one fumble recovered.
Walker didn’t burst onto the scene as one might expect from a highly rated recruit and he would be the first person to tell you how frustrating that could be, “It was real, real frustrating for me. Playing a new position, having the ability that I have and not really understanding the plays or how I do this or how I should do that, it was very, very frustrating for me.” That self reflection is rare from a young college player but is extremely important and Walker was not satisfied. Head coach Kirby Smart explains the changes he’s seen in Walker that has led to the improved play, “He committed to being excellent and doing what he’s supposed to off the field and on the field, became much more of a student of the game. He holds people accountable now and this is the guy who wouldn’t do it. Now he’s doing it all.” It’s better to have that wake up call in the college ranks than the NFL and the senior linebacker should hear his name called sooner on draft night, thanks to the changes he’s made.
One-Liners
Long linebacker with good speed, range and physicality who displays below-average recognition skills.
Grades
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
7.4/8.2
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