Pete Thamel shares latest on Tez Walker's waiver status

North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker remained ineligible ahead of the Tar Heels’ season opener against South Carolina.

ESPN’s Pete Thame provided the latest with Walker, who’s going for a two-time transfer waiver. Walker even penned a letter to the NCAA over the waiver decision.

Joining College GameDay, Thamel provided the latest update with Walker’s case.

“Tez Walker is out today, his second waiver request, which was submitted earlier this week was denied Thursday by the NCAA,” Thamel said. “A second appeal of that waiver request will be heard this week and we’ll get a final decision.

“Walker made a personal appeal to the NCAA and NCAA President Charlie Baker on Instagram last night, stating his case working against Walker who’s going for a two time transfer waiver. Only 18% of these had been passed so far this year.”

Walker transferred to North Carolina from Kent State this offseason.

The NCAA ruled that because it was technically his second transfer, he must sit out a year in residence before he can play again. However, Walker disputes that it was, in fact, his second transfer due to some extenuating circumstances.

He initially enrolled at NC Central, but the program canceled its football season in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Walker opted to transfer to Kent State, where he could play football.

“My understanding based on the response from your organization is that my appeal has been turned down due to a technicality,” Walker wrote in a letter to NCAA president Baker. “Your team believes my enrollment at NCCU — where I never played football — should count as my original school.”

Head coach Mack Brown released a statement calling out the NCAA and pushing for Walker to be declared eligible.

“Our institution has been pushing for Tez’s case to be reviewed by the assigned committee, so that it could be heard prior to our first game. But, the NCAA’s unwillingness to provide clarification over the last few weeks has left us in this position,” Brown said. “They say they’re about helping kids, but all they’ve done is add to the very mental health issues Tez has been dealing with that made him want to get closer to home to begin with. You can’t say you’re about helping kids and then show a total disregard for the kids you’re supposed to be helping. It’s clear they are about process and not people. 

“Fortunately, the committee still has a chance to recommend a correction to this egregious error. We look forward to them hearing his case, and recommending the only outcome this case deserves, that Tez Walker should be eligible to play.”

Walker had a lot of hype as a transfer after he finished the 2022 season with 58 catches, 921 yards, 11 touchdowns and 15.9 yards per catch.