Quay Walker hears his name called in the first round
Once again, a Dawg is off the board in the NFL draft, as former Georgia linebacker Quay Walker has been selected No. 22 overall in the first round by the Green Bay Packers.
Walker, originally of Cordele, Georgia’s Crisp County High School, started all fifteen games for the Bulldogs in their 2021 Championship season.
The senior linebacker ultimately played in 52 career games with the Dawgs over his four years in Athens, totaling 139 tackles during the stretch. Walker was also responsible for 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, three pass deflections, and a fumble recovery over his career.
A Consensus five-star prospect coming out of high school in 2018 ranked as the nation’s No. 25 overall prospect for the cycle, Walker was considered the nation’s No. 3 linebacker prospect in the class and also the No. 6 overall player in Georgia.
ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay noted early in April that Walker’s profile was on the rise among teams around the league:
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“Quay Walker, the linebacker from Georgia, I liked him on tape. I really did and gave him a second round grade. This time of year as the book is printed today, the NFL draft book has 423 evaluations, and it’s time to start talking to guys in the league as they set their boards and have their final meetings. I keep hearing this guy’s name come up, Quay Walker,” McShay said on ESPN First Draft. “We all talk about Nakobe Dean. I like Dean more than Walker, but when I talk to teams, some teams say the potential for Walker to be a better pro is there. He’s longer, at 6’3.5, 241-pounds, 32 and ⅝ inch arms, and he plays fast. He doesn’t play as fast as Nakobe Dean, and Dean didn’t run a 40-yard dash. He ran a 4.52, Quay Walker did. This is a player that’s ascending, not only in terms of his playing ability and how teams think he’s going to be as a rookie and moving forward, but he’s ascending on teams boards. I think that’s interesting to hear. I’ve had several teams say, ‘It’s here or there. We’re really struggling in our meetings to figure out if we like Dean or Walker as our first linebacker in this class or going between the two with Devin Lloyd in the mix, as well.’”
Walker becomes the third Bulldog off the board in the draft, joining former teammates Travon Walker and Jordan Davis.
Other Quay Walker Stories You Might Be Interested In:
- Top three plays from the career of Quay Walker ahead of 2022 NFL Draft
- Georgia turns the page from Dean-Tindall-Walker to new group of inside linebackers
- Georgia players embrace emotions felt after loss, let them linger as motivation
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