Quay Walker NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Georgia LB

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/4"

WEIGHT: 241

HAND: 9 1/4"

ARM: 32 5/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'7 7/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.52

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 10'2"

POSITIVES

— Quick feet. Navigates condensed spaces very well.

— Comfortable playing tight behind his DL and attacking the line of scrimmage.

— Good block deconstruction. Knows when to take them on versus when to slip by them.

— Good eyes versus the run. Occasionally gets too aggressive and keys early but generally flows well with the play.

— Reliable tackler. Physical mentality with sound technique.

— Sound coverage defender. Great understanding of how to re-route as well as how to find and sink into throwing windows.

NEGATIVES

— Build is on the thinner side. Could become more of an issue in the NFL.

— Play strength comes and goes. He is a physical player but sometimes does not have the power to match.

— Middling speed. Often made up for it with good technique and instincts, but that will be harder at the next level.

— Change of direction in space can be lacking. Does not explode out of his steps.

— Not a particularly useful blitzer.

2021 STATISTICS

65 TOT, 5.5 TFL, 1.5 SK, 1 FR, 3 PD

NOTES

— Two-year starter.

— 4-star and top-50 recruit in 2018.

OVERALL

Quay Walker spent the past two seasons as a sort of stabilizing factor for the Georgia defense, particularly in pass coverage.

In 2021 especially, Walker was Georgia's coverage backer. They often aligned him to the passing strength and put him on the field in favor of either Nakobe Dean or Channing Tindall on passing downs whenever possible. Though only an average athlete in space, Walker has an excellent understanding for zone coverage. He knows how to re-route players into different zone defenders, and he knows exactly where he needs to flow to after passing off routes. Walker seldom gave up air around pass-catchers in coverage and consistently triggered quickly to play the ball or make a tackle.

Walker is a competent run defender as well. Like all Georgia defenders, Walker has a nasty demeanor towards contact and is willing to get scrappy in traffic. His strength wavers at times, but he always finds himself near the action, thanks in part to comfortable movement skills in tight spaces and reliable run game diagnoses. He also shows a full toolbox for being able to deconstruct or avoid blocks, even if his physical profile makes it tough to capitalize on all the time. The flip side is that Walker's average speed and clunky redirection can get him caught in space a bit too often, which could become more of an issue in the pros.

Walker has the high-floor run defense traits and zone coverage chops to stick around for a long time, either at MIKE or WILL. He clearly gets how to play the position and has the aggressive mindset teams should love. Walker's average athletic profile may hold him back from reaching Pro Bowl caliber play, but it is tough to imagine Walker being anything less than a good backup, and he may well end up as a solid starter.

GRADE: 7.6 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 49

POSITION RANK: LB5

PRO COMPARISON: Anthony Walker Jr.

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen