Well I disagree. His production isn’t great against pretty weak competition. And the type of player he is hasn’t performed great in the NFL. Thats my opinion.
He had an ankle and foot sprain. His game is all about get off and explosion so that naturally was a doozy. Not really rocket science. Despite working through an injury he averaged .7 sacks per game.
There are other reasons as well. This article will explain it better than I can.
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The problem with assessing Walker , or any prospect for that matter, is that you must make sure to consider what they were being asked to do.
Thibs and Hutch were asked to attack the QB, everything I’ve read has said Walker…. not so much. His job was to disrupt the Oline and free up the LBs. You don’t develop those passing rushing attack moves if you’re not asked to do it most of the time. Part of learning is the experience. You get stymied, you watch the film, work on ways to get passed it. For Walker, it may not have been a big enough priority for the staff to have him work on that. That part of his game wasn’t the priority for them. His flexibility was key.
All that means, it would fall upon the next staff to work with him in his rush skills.
I would rather have Hutch, but Walker and his ability to perform a ton of functions on the line is appealing.
It’s a toss up between the three honestly. Who’s there, who fits what the Lions staff thinks they can get the most out of for their situation and needs.
I think Walker is in the conversation because of his flexibility to do a lot on the line. His having shown he can do it in college.
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What type of player would that be?
it reminds me a little bit too, of some of the arguments against Parsons last year. Character arguments aside, the on-field argument was that Parsons didn’t have elite pass rush production. And some people here considered him in off-ball linebacker only.
But if you looked at his tape, Penn State used him everywhere. And his athleticism and football IQ popped on the screen. That’s like when you look at Walker’s highlight tape.
The Cowboys at the beginning of the year lined Parsons up everywhere, dropped him into coverage, had him playing multiple positions – but when they dedicated him to be a pin the ears back pass rusher, He showed that he can be one of the best pass rushers in the NFL
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I mean, the highlight of him reading the eyes of the quarterback dropping 15 yards back and tipping the ball for an int, isn’t something you’d see in Thibodeaux highlights
He absolutely dominated the 14th overall pick in last year’s draft, Alijah Vera-Tucker, in last year’s PAC-12 championship game. He was named MVP.
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And the other article here about him makes the other important point imho: he can be taught to be a good edge rusher to boot….
If you can get a guy with this type of versatility and then add edge rushing after the fact and be only a step under the other two guys……? Why not take him
And I honestly have now clue to that answer…. Just by reading stuff here he is up there in the discussion for #2 imho
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I think some are missing it on walker, when walker was one on one he didn’t win when he should. At 2 you want a guy that can win one on one. Witch matches his play and stats.
You don’t take a pass rusher at #2 that you have to teach to rush the passer. That’s exactly why before the underwear games he was a mid to late Rd 1 pic. Hes a project to become a good pass rusher. Not a #2 pic.
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I agree. I went back and watched a lot of Georgia games to see if I missed anything on him. He just didn’t stand that much. He rarely faced double teams. His best wins seemed to come from the inside when going against a much slower OG or OC. That’s not the player I’d want at #2. I think we already drafted that kind of player last year.
If I was going to draft a Georgia defender it would be Davis as he’s a monster that could be a “game changer” for us. I’d rather take him after a slight trade down if we get an offer.
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I like Walker more as a inside rusher, put a few pounds on and be that inside rusher we lack. The inside was were he was most effective at from what I seen, But still not at #2
IMO Walker is going to take much the same analysis Ziggy Ansah required. Its a projection based on traits and not enough film to make you comfortable. I’m glad I’m not making the pick.
The difference is that there was no Kayvon Thibodeaux in that draft.
Ziggy worked out well IMO other than being 35 at the time of the draft.
I would say the main similarity between Ziggy and Walker is that they both can kick inside well and show that extra-level athleticism mixed with toughness. They have alpha level toughness IMO. Ansah had a better 10 yard split at like 1.56 so I think that is the main difference. Walker has more long speed to track down ARod when he does that leak out to one side to buy time stuff (I think this is the way his career ends by the way - he’ll get hurt doing that as he ages)
I worry a little bit about Walker’s get off. Maybe that can be coached up. I know the pass rush moves will develop.
I’m leaning a little toward Kayvon right now, but you could definitely say Walker’s measurables are enticing as well as his ability to just take a blocker head on and shed him like nothin. What he did to that Michigan IOL was impressive as hell.
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I’m still of the opinion that there is a disconnect between how teams in the top five view KT and how much of draft media does. That’s just a guess of course.
The reason why I’m really into the idea of adding KT is we don’t just need pass rushers that can win, we badly need pass rushers that can win early. Maybe Levi and Julian can get there but as of now we don’t have a single guy that can get home as the quarterbacks back leg is hitting his drop depth. We need a flamethrower badly and KT is the quintessential flamethrower IMO.
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I hear you, but seeing guys like Jeremiah have him so low (like 10th) does make me wonder. It could be the Sewell situation last year. Where he had Sewell behind Slater but they both ended up really good.
There’s a big difference though. Parsons was THE guy on his defense, the focus of the offensive game plan, he piled up over 100 tackles in his final season. He was a guy that you can envision being a game changer in the NFL because he actually proved to be a game changer in college. You do see some flashes on Walker’s game tape but Parsons was doing elite things on the regular in college. His only flaw was potential character concerns, and positional value really.
With Walker, almost everything is based on projection. He was just “a guy” on that defense, not THE guy and when you’re taking somebody at 2, you need somebody that has THE guy upside. Thibodeaux proved that in flashes, Walker really hasn’t. Admittedly, Walker does seem to have more versatility but I don’t see his ceiling being all that close to Thibs to be honest and I think the Lions need star power more than just a guy who is solid and versatile. I could see Holmes and co. preferring Walker though based on their history and scheme fit.
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I’m getting to where IDGAF
Let’s get the draft going
I’ll accept whoever they pick
Aaaahhhhh!!!
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You and I have both said for the past few months that there isn’t a better actual prospect than Kayvon (if Hutch is gone) in the draft, and I think most everyone kinda agrees with that.
For the most part the people who don’t like him have been swayed by rumors/etc… and that’s fine, I was the same way last year with Parsons (though I still contend that if Parsons red flags proved to be true he could be suspended/out of the league like Rueben Foster, whereas Thibs’s issues aren’t the suspending kind). To each his own when it comes to that stuff, because the truth is none of us is really in any position to breakdown their psychologies.
Thankfully, our FO is in that position, so I’m not overly worried about it. In fact we may have the best insight into what drives Thibs because of Sewell. So if we do take him I think it will speak volumes, and if we don’t it will as well. It almost feels like we can’t go wrong, at least not with our decision on Thibs. We could go terribly wrong with who we draft if we don’t draft Thibs, but that’s a different discussion.
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I like the Parsons comparison…Might happen.
What I find especially intriguing is the likelihood of Walker playing inside ocassionally. Walker seems very adept at employing Twists & Stunts coupled with his explosiveness and speed, could be dynamite, when employed together with the Okwara Bros on the outside. Walker may be a little light, but makes up for it with agility & speed. His "Get Off"needs work. Used simultaneously with the Okwara’s, they could wreak havoc in the backfield. Adding NT McNeil & DT Levi to the picture makes me salivate as well. Walker could be the X-Factor on the DL. Walker’s L-O-N-G arms should keep opposing OT & G’s at bay, while he develops his inside moves.
I get his Profile is based on Projection, but Ziggy was a developmental DE, similarly, when he was drafted, too. Walker, at this Early Stage can hold the Edge and play “In Space”, as an OLB, better than Hutch, Thibs, or Ziggy. IMO, if Holmes/MC feel they can unlock Walker’s combined attributes, the comparison to Parsons, is not so far-fetched…Walker’s advantage over Thibs supposed mental indifference could be the tipping point.
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I agree, though I would add Jermaine Johnson to the list.
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