Former NFL Scout Gives Deone Walker First Round Grade

One ⎯or two blockers. Sometimes it was enough to stop Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker.

…And sometimes it wasn’t.

I tallied 71 double-team blocks on Walker during the 2024 season ⎯and 34 double-team blocks on running plays.

I even counted four times teams triple-teamed him in passing situations.

Grown man stuff.

Athleticism mixed with 345 pounds of man crashing into the gaps commanded ⎯and demanded attention.

I liked Walker in 2023 ⎯and again in 2024 ⎯and I evaluated every snap.

Here’s the deal

The first round is all about identifying and acquiring difference-makers ⎯and Walker fits the profile.

2024 stats (Pro Football Focus and Sports Reference):

• 4 sacks
• 18 hurries
• 3 batted passes
• 37 tackles
• 5 tackles for loss
• 1 fumble recovery

But…but…his production fell off in 2024.

Yes, his sack total did drop from 8 (2023) to 4 this season and his hurries dropped from 39 (2023) to 18 in 2024. Part of it can be explained by him playing in two fewer games in 2024 and by him participating in 188 fewer defensive snaps.

The other part of it can be explained by the fact Walker played with a broken back in 2024.

What?

“It was a pars defect,” Walker said on Tuesday according to a report from On3.com. “That’s big terminology for me. I don’t know what that means, but it healed itself up. Now, I only gotta do PT to keep it right.

It was the whole season. If you all can go back and look at the games, you probably see me on the sideline, bent over because it was hurting so bad.

I didn’t want people to think I’m sitting out for the wrong reasons, just because I’m scared I’m gonna get injured,” he said. “I go 110% for this team.”

According to On3.com, Walker suffered the injury 15 years ago, “Fortunately, this injury should not provide serious long-term concerns for NFL teams. If anything, it explains why he didn’t play up to his high standard during his final college season.”

Addressing another criticism

But Walker plays at a high pad level.

Yes, he does.

It’s because he’s top-heavy and carries a lot of his weight around the midsection. Naturally, he’s rigid getting into and out of his pre-snap stance.

It’s part of his charm.

It was like poetry in motion watching him pushing a guard outside before coming back over the top with his signature swim move and blowing up the pocket or making a tackle for a loss on a running play.

His new team will need to live with this. It’s who he is.

Buffalo Bills

With Ed Oliver at one defensive tackle spot (signed through 2027) and veteran Larry Ogunjobi on a one-year deal starting at the other defensive tackle position, Walker would be a perfect addition in Buffalo, who holds the No. 30 spot in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

⎯Defensive tackle is also listed as the Bills’ top need according to NFL.com.

#0 Deone Walker 6-foot-6, 345 pounds

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

M (MEDICAL RISK)

Projected by 35.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 15, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Kentucky Blue Chip Defensive Tackle Deone Walker (2023: 13 games evaluated)

2024 game film evaluated: South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio Bobcats, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas, and Louisville (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Monsterous prospect who imposes his will on offenses. Capable of game-changing elite plays. Questionable play flow instincts. Lines up at defensive tackle or end, mostly with his hand in the dirt. Sometimes standing up. Extreme power. Can lock out at the point of attack. Can throw people around. Additional spin and rip pass rush moves. Inconsistent technique and intensity. Too soft at times. Could be part of his rush plan. Sleeping giant. Strong run-stopping commitment. Inconsistent shed. Punishing tackler. Will get into an opponent’s face.

Final words

Walker is a force to be reckoned with.

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.