Jalon Walker Flashes Dominance

Watching Georgia defender Jalon Walker on game film was frustrating. It was frustrating in 2023, wondering why this prospect who is chiseled like a Greek god played a part-time role. It was frustrating in 2024 as he only showed up once in a blue moon most of the season on game film.

Notice a theme with one of the words?

In 2023, his coaching staff lined him up mostly off the edge. In 2024, he evolved, sometimes lining up at edge but more as an off-the-ball inside and outside linebacker in Georgia’s defensive rotation.

Walker had ‘moments’ of looking explosive, and most of the time he looked raw during both seasons.

What Walker lacks in technique and instincts, he compensates for with brute power and good speed.

Spotty performance

Some of the most difficult evaluations are the prospects who have dominant traits but those traits don’t show up consistently on game film.

It’s the job of the evaluator to figure out why.

Every so often, Walker would make a ‘wow’ play, but then he disappeared. Walker took most of the 2024 season off. I mean he was out there, but he looked like he was playing flag football. Because he was soft most of the season he had a whale of a time beating blockers. Then he would “flash” the ability to blow them to smithereens now and again. His biggest sack game of the season was against Texas when he logged three sacks and three hurries per Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Unfortunately, most of the season didn’t look like that as he logged zero sacks and between 0-1 hurries in 9/14 games (PFF). As a result, coaching moved him around attempting to get him out in space more where he wouldn’t have to deal with that. Their color-coded grading system further helps to spotlight what I saw on film this season.

Then the Notre Dame game happened

Just when I was ready to write him off…

Just when I was ready to put a second or third-round grade on him because I was so disappointed by his efforts in the first 12 games of the season…

Walker played in what would prove to be his final college game before the draft and he surfaced again turning in a big effort. PFF confirms what I saw on film, crediting him with a season-high five hurries against the Fighting Irish.

How convenient as this information puts me into a grading quandary.

Bucs

The first round has three tiers. There are the have-nots (picks 1-10), the tweeners (11-18), and the haves (19-32). Tampa Bay is in the category of the ‘haves’ coming off a wild-card playoff appearance in 2024. Ironically, the Bucs ‘top draft need,’ per PFF as of January 14 is Edge/Linebacker.

All things considered…

Walker’s mediocre effort level during most of the season + his dominant traits = No. 19 overall value in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of matching Walker with the Bucs’ head coach Todd Bowles. I believe he could keep him motivated.” I can see Walker in a Bucs’ uniform.

#11 Jalon Walker 6-foot-2, 245 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2025 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 62.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of February 9, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Georgia Defender Jalon Walker Showing Real Potential (2023: 9 games evaluated)

2024 game film evaluated: Clemson, Tennessee Tech, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, Texas, Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, UMASS, Georgia Tech, Texas SEC Championship, and Notre Dame (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Athletic and sculpted muscular specimen with difference-making ability and a sputtering motor. Alpha nature. Long arms. Broad shoulders. Workout warrior type. Capable of using arms to lock out at the point of attack, but often breaks down or plays touch tag. Flashes quick twitch and fast first step. Limited pass rush tools and usage (swim). Above average close. More of a pressure than a sack guy. Can adjust. Easily handled too often. Inconsistent heavy impact tackler. Decent dropping into zone and man. Passive playing the run in the middle.

Final words

It’s in Walker to play bully ball.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.