Is Quay Walker Lions' Linebacker of Future?
It’s draft day! It is the day Lions fans have been waiting for since the end of September.
After giving up 6,456 yards last season (which ranked second to last), Detroit’s defense desperately needs help.
Would Georgia linebacker Quay Walker be able to add value to the Lions defense? No.
Despite Georgia’s defense showing the ability to fly all over the field en route to winning the national championship, Walker is not the answer for the Lions.
Why not?
Sure, Walker has the raw athletic ability, and he even showed he has that coveted short-area burst and close to the ball. However, it did not translate.
This game comes down to what a player produces on game film.
The thing about Walker is he was all over the field, but he wasn’t the one making the plays. That is a bad sign. It is a bad sign, because going from college to the NFL is a big step up in terms of competition level.
If a prospect can’t do it in college, that does not make for a favorable projection to the NFL.
Walker lacked playing strength, instincts, a solid motor and he was hesitant on top of it all. I was frankly somewhat surprised.
After watching superstar talent like Nakobe Dean and Devonte Wyatt play for the Bulldogs, I expected more from Walker.
However, I walked away from my television screen feeling disappointed after watching him play.
Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports
#7 Quay Walker - 6-foot-4, 240 pounds
2021 stats: 63 tackles (39 solo), 1.5 sacks and two passes defensed
2021 game film reviewed: Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina
Scouting Report
Has raw size, speed and burst, but lacks the necessary motor, instincts, playing strength and he is very hesitant. Best when he can drop into man coverage. Showed he can stay tight. Otherwise, often a split second slow reacting to play flow and can not get out to support in time to make a difference. Slow reacting to screens. Sometimes goes totally the wrong direction of the play flow. Sent on a lot of blitz attempts, but totally not explosive at the point of attack and easily stopped most of the time. Has to be left clean and even then he got a personal foul for face-masking the QB (on a clean shot vs. South Carolina). Could not adjust in the pocket. Not a factor blitzing. Delayed blitzes were even worse.
Against the run, lacked the necessary power to take on and shed blocks. Has a lot of trouble getting into position in time. Ends up by the pile more often than not. Slow key and diagnose. At times, was seen filling the wrong holes. Slow reacting. Can take his foot off the gas and go half speed on active plays. He has to be left clean and everything has to be just perfect for him to make tackles, and even then, he did not always have enough juice to finish the job as a hitter.
He's an athlete trying to play linebacker who has too many things working against him to succeed in the NFL. Did not look like he belonged on the field in the three aforementioned games I scouted.
Undoubtedly, some team in the NFL will take Walker, and it is shocking to me to see where many major NFL media outlets have Walker ranked.
They all have Walker going in the first round of tonight’s draft. USA Today Draft Wire (No. 21), Fox Sports (No. 21) and NFL.com (No. 26), as well as CBS Sports, Yahoo and Pro Football Focus (No. 32) all have him mocked to Detroit.
To me, Walker is not the defensive player the Lions need to draft in order to take the next step in their rebuild.
