Finding Broncos: Quay Walker | LB | Georgia

Finding Broncos scouts the 2022 NFL Draft with one of the top linebackers.

Measurements

• Height: 6-foot-4
• Weight: 241 pounds
• Arms: 32-5/8 inches
• Hands: 9-1/4 inches

Combine Results

• 40-Yard Dash: 4.52 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 32 inches
• Broad Jump: 122 inches

Stats

Pros

• Confident in his play, and it resonates with those around him. 
• Plays quickly but with control. 
• He trusts what he sees and has great instincts. 
• A reliable tackler with only seven missed tackles in his collegiate career. 
• Has a high football IQ to read the blocking as it develops and knows where he is supposed to be. 
• Excellent ability to keep his eyes on the running back and mirror them to meet them in the hole.
• Quick to go with no hesitation and hardly wrong when he sees it. 
• Vision doesn't get caught on the blockers. 
• Hands are great, and he uses them extremely well to get off blocks quickly. 
• Has an elite wingspan with a broad chest. 
• Was trusted at Georgia with a lot of the communication on that defense and is praised for his leadership. 

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Cons

• He answered some of the concerns about tightness in his hips at the Combine, the question is if he can show it in a game. 
• Plays a little upright, especially in coverage, and it sometimes gives him issues when changing direction. 
• Could do to be a little stronger, especially at the point of attack. 
• Blockers that can negate his hands make life difficult for him to shed. 
• As intuitive as he is against the run with good vision, he is almost the opposite in coverage. 
• When working to the outside, he will find himself overreaching to the landmark. 
• Will need to learn how to elude blocks better for the NFL. 
• His usage in coverage is limited, but he has the traits to grow with coaching. 

Overview

Quay Walker is a tremendous athlete that is still working on putting the pieces together. He is the type of player you want in the locker room and is a leader on and off the field. Coaches will love him and want to work to develop him. 

Walker is a great run defender who can have a limited role in coverage as he is right now. There are plenty of tools to work with to improve and expand his role in coverage, but that will take time. Walker can also contribute to special teams right away. 

Not only will he need to improve certain technical aspects, but coaches will also have to work to improve Walker in the film room for that broader role in coverage. He is the type of player you watch and think the sky is the limit, but it will take some time to get there, even if he can contribute right away as a rookie. With what Walker has to offer, he may not be a finished product for two or three years. 

Fit with Broncos 

The Denver Broncos could be looking for more linebacker help, and Walker wouldn't be a bad fit for the scheme and personnel. He would also fit with the teaching style the Broncos coaching staff is leaning into and would test their ability to develop him in crucial areas. The issue is, it's unlikely Walker is on the board when the Broncos are on the clock at No. 64 overall. 

Walker could upgrade the Broncos' linebacker room because of the athleticism he has, but it wouldn't be a big boost right away to their coverage units. Denver has other linebackers with similar limitations as Walker, though for different reasons. He would help the run defense, which has been a focus for the Broncos, and they could be on the athletic upside in coverage, something they are lacking with moving Baron Browning. 

Grade: Late Round 1

Where he Goes: Late Round 1/Early Round 2

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