Is It Finally Mike Walker's Time To Shine?

The NFL career of Mike Walker up to this point could best be described on nondescript.

Walker, the wide receiver out of UCF, has shown great promise at times during practice and training camp. But that hasn't really translated to success in game situations.

After spending his entire rookie season on injured reserve, he was used sparingly last season. There were 10 games in which Walker did not record a catch, but he had a huge game against Pittsburgh (six catches, 107 yards).

He finished 2008 with 16 catches for 217 yards and no touchdowns.

Before the start of OTAs, Walker has been somewhat of a forgotten man when fans talked about Jacksonville's wide receivers.

Obviously signing Torry Holt in the offseason made the biggest headlines. The prospects of the three drafted wide receivers, Jarett Dillard, Mike Thomas, and Tiquan Underwood, pushed Walker's name further down in the consciousness of Jaguars fans.

But it looks like Walker is fighting to make a name for himself.

In an OTA notebook by Florida Times-Union reporter Vito Stellino, he writes Walker "has the early lead in the battle to be the other starting wide receiver, alongisde veteran Torry Holt."

Clearly, it's very early in the evaluation process. Just because someone is shining in OTAs doesn't mean he'll enter the season as a starter.

But Jacksonville fans have to be excited about this development, because they've heard so much about Walker's ability and potential. A few years back, one of the coaches said Walker was the only receiver on the roster capable of being a No. 1 guy some day.

If Walker can live up to that billing in 2009, watch out for the Jaguars.