Deone Walker 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Deone Walker 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Deone Walker is about the closest thing we’re going to get for the skyscraper division of the 2025 NFL Draft class. Hollin Pierce is right there with him, except Walker plays defense. Without further ado, here is your 2025 NFL Draft profile on the Kentucky defensive tackle!

NFL Draft Stock Report: Senior Bowl (1), (2), (3)

Walker, 21, was a four star recruit coming out of high school. During the 2022 cycle, Walker was ranked as the 216th overall player, 28th ranked DL, and third ranked player in the state of Michigan. The Detroit native played all three years with Kentucky.

The timeline here is so weird. Walker is an early declare and was named Freshman All-American / All-SEC Freshman Team right away. As a sophomore, Walker comes out firing Second-team All-SEC while leading his program with 12.5 TFLs, 7.5 sacks. It felt like Walker was going to be a first round pick and then he took a major step back, notching 5 TFLs with 1.5 sacks in 11 games.

We saw the red flags during the Combine. The guy just can’t bend. It’s also been revealed he has back fractures, which makes sense given how he’s moving around out there. Being that tall / big while having those limitations… I don’t know how it doesn’t worry you. Not to mention the fact that a 25 inch vertical is comical. Keep in mind, Walker checks in at 6-foot-7, 331 with over 34 inch arms.

You can see the talent. We saw it in flashes at the Senior Bowl. There were wow reps mixed in with a lot of I don’t know how this is going to work sort of thing. He’s going to lose the point of leverage over and over again. I’m also not sure he’s in shape, but that’s more of a theory.

I think Deone Walker is your classic swing for the fences third-fourth round pick. The guy is talented. He’s also incredibly flawed. Maybe it works out, but it’s all boom/bust. I think the plan here has to be pairing him with someone reliable to see if he can be unleashed as a complementary piece on the line.

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