Falcons LB Mykal Walker Developing Into Franchise Cornerstone

Mykal Walker has made quite the jump this season. As the green dot linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, Walker's communication skills are being put to the test, and he's passing with flying colors.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 22, 2022

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The Atlanta Falcons are in a transition period, especially at the linebacker position, but the team may have found one of their leaders moving forward.

Third-year pro Mykal Walker has embraced the opportunity of being the team's primary middle linebacker, excelling so far in the team's first two games. So far this season, he has 13 tackles, notched his first career sack and his second career interception. He's also earned the respect of his teammates.

"Myke's been great," rookie linebacker Troy Andersen said. "Everyday when we watch film, just communicating what he's seeing out on the field. He knows the defense so well that he can make the adjustments on the field and if there's something that's messed up or somebody's on the wrong page, he can correct that and get everybody focused."

After last year's leading tackler Foye Oluokun left the team in free agency and Deion Jones landed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List, it was a mystery as to who would become the leader to fill the void. Walker has stepped up to the challenge, but it isn't a surprise to head coach Arthur Smith.

"I wouldn't call it a surprise, I've been pleased," Smith said. "We had a lot of faith in him, in the way that he developed last year. Now he's got the green dot, he's continued to develop. I like his football IQ and he's making plays. He made a hell of a play on that interception."

Plays like the interception he had against the Los Angeles Rams last weekend will appear more frequently as Walker continues to grow and develop in his role. And if he continues on the trajectory he's on, Walker will likely be making a lot of money in Atlanta for a long time.

Walker and the Falcons will look to grab their first win of the season Sunday as they take on the Seattle Seahawks. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m.

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Published Sep 22, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.