Could Quay Walker Creep into the First Round?

Former Georgia linebacker Quay Walker put on a show at the NFL draft combine and it has created some buzz of him potentially being a first-round pick.

The colossal list of former Bulldogs who participated in the combine event this last weekend put on an absolute show, and one of the best performances came from linebacker Quay Walker. In fact, he flashed so much that there is some noise coming out that he could now sneak into the first round. 

Prior to the combine, Walker was projected as an early day two draft pick due to an outstanding senior season at Georgia. His tape displayed a freak athlete at the position with good instincts and great size. The combine all but confirmed all of those things. 

At 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds, he recorded a 4.52-second 40 time and that was essentially all NFL teams needed to see from Walker to know he was worth selecting with an early-round pick. The NFL draft is concentrated around the measurables and Walker checks all of the boxes in that area as well as great college film. 

In an ESPN article, Jordan Reid printed out his thoughts on Walker as a prospect and why he wouldn't be surprised if he slipped into the first round. 

"Georgia linebacker Quay Walker looked outstanding from start to finish. He's only a one-year starter, but he has the size profile, physicality and potential, and teams would have few problems betting on the upside. His length shows up as a run defender, and he provides blitz value both from the middle and on the perimeter... It wouldn't be surprising to see Walker start to creep into the first round."

Walker was quite the late bloomer during his time in Athens as he didn't become a full-time starter until his final year with the team, but when he did he exploded onto the scene. Georgia has become one of the best in the business at developing linebackers, and Walker is yet another example of that. 

Whether it be assisting in the run game or blitzing the quarterback, Quay Walker can do it all at the linebacker and contains the stature to do it at an elite level in the NFL. With the mixture of his senior game film and the eye-popping performance he put on at the combine, don't be surprised if Walker's name is announced late in the first round of the draft this year. 

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Jonathan Williams
JONATHAN WILLIAMS

Access Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee Jonathan Williams is a multimedia sports journalist who graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism. He has multiple years of experience in covering college football for a variety of teams.