Jalon Walker

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Bills, Banks

April 22nd, 2025 at 9:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Consistently given Will Campbell in mock drafts (including ours), the Patriots may not be locked into the left tackle the way the Titans are with Cam Ward at No. 1. Eleventh-hour Pats connections to Georgia hybrid defender Jalon Walker are emerging, via Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline. Mike Vrabel has mentioned left tackle as a place the draft can provide an answer, and Pats-Campbell ties have persisted during the pre-draft process. Several reports have suggested the LSU product will be the Patriot pick. Walker recently auditioned for scouts, and Pauline adds the Pats sent a sizable contingent to a workout that also featured Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams. Pats brass soon dined with Walker, Pauline adds.

Showing the ability to be an edge defender and off-ball linebacker, Walker is expected to go off the board early. The Pats, who inquired about Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby this offseason, came up previously in connection to passing on Campbell to draft a pass rusher. With Abdul Carter likely going to Cleveland or New York, New England would be shut out from this draft’s top prospect tier at 4. Campbell should probably still be considered the favorite to go fourth overall, but it is not a lock.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

Also viewing Campbell as the Pats’ most likely pick, SI.com’s Albert Breer mentions Walker as a wild card. But the veteran reporter also points to a New England desire to accumulate more draft capital — even if it is unable to move off No. 4 (in a draft without a QB prompting aggressive trade-up offers like last year’s brought for the Pats). Kayshon Boutte, months after voicing frustration with his role, could be a player the team would consider moving to acquire an extra pick. Two years remain on the 2023 sixth-round receiver’s rookie contract.
Having seen four teammates (Khalil Shakir, Gregory Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, Christian Benford) receive early-offseason extension, James Cook is not joining his teammates for the start of the Bills‘ offseason program, Brandon Beane confirmed (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) Tuesday. Cook skipping voluntary work is not surprising; he has been upfront about his desire for an upper-crust extension this offseason. The Bills have viewed the breakout RB as a core player, but it remains to be seen if they will give the multipurpose back a deal in the $15MM-AAV range. Early talks have not brought progress. One season remains on Cook’s contract. While the Bills did pay former Day 2 picks Devin Singletary or Zack Moss, Cook has been a better player and is one of this year’s top extension candidates.
Extending Bernard and keeping Matt Milano via a pay-cut agreement, the Bills are in decent shape at linebacker. They are still being mentioned (via Schefter) as a team that could use a premium draft pick on the position. Holding the No. 30 overall choice, Buffalo is being tied to UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger. Milano having missed the bulk of the past two seasons does give Buffalo a bit of a need here, but the team has been more closely tied to other defensive positions in Round 1.
Another injury-prone player who once earned All-Pro acclaim in Buffalo, Tre’Davious White is back. Discarded in 2024, White spent the season with the Rams and Ravens. Although White has seen the injury trouble move him off the surefire starter tier, he has another chance in Buffalo. He said (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg) following the Ravens’ divisional-round loss to the Bills that he began letting the team know he was interested in returning. At 30, White now profiles as a flier for a Bills team likely still looking for CB help.
The Dolphins have done plenty of D-tackle work leading up to this draft, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter also links Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to Miami at No. 13. Banks’ stock looks to have climbed late, as he has been tied to going as high as the Raiders at No. 6 or the Jets at 7. Miami has Patrick Paul prepared to replace Terron Armstead, as Austin Jackson remains at RT.

Georgia Defenders Making Early First-Round Connections

April 19th, 2025 at 3:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The University of Georgia has been a pipeline for first-round defensive talent in the past several years. Since 2016, 11 Bulldogs have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, including in 2022 when No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker was joined by four other defensive teammates in the first round. This year Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, and Malaki Starks have been noted as potential first-rounders coming out of Athens, and as potential edge defenders, Walker and Williams are likely to hear their names called in the first half of Day 1.

As they continue to draw interest from multiple teams in the top 16, two teams seem to be zoning in on the teammates; the Panthers have been repeatedly linked to Walker, while the Falcons are heavily monitoring Williams. In fact, in the last day of pre-draft visits earlier this week, Williams spent his time in the Falcons’ building, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Atlanta has been repeatedly linked to the possibility of drafting a defensive player in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and, needing help on the edge, Williams and his mid-first-round projection make a lot of sense.

It was also announced, by ESPN’s Jordan Reid, that Walker and Williams would be holding a private workout for NFL scouts and executives this past Friday at Georgia’s indoor facility. Each player only participated in position drills throughout the workout, which is notable because Walker only measured at the NFL Scouting Combine and Georgia’s pro day, not doing any timing or testing. Williams, likewise, only measured at the combine, but did run and time at the Bulldogs’ pro day.

The Falcons maintained their link to Williams, sending both assistant general manager Kyle Smith and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to Athens for the players’ workout yesterday, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. The Panthers, on the other hand, were not in attendance as, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, they remained in draft meetings and “seem to have seen all they need to from the Georgia linebacker.”

Based on rumors and fit, we recently projected Walker to Carolina and Williams to Atlanta in our 2025 NFL Mock Draft. We’re just five days away from finding out just how serious each team’s interest is in the respective defensive prospects.

Patriots Pursued Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett; Could Select Edge Rusher At No. 4

April 16th, 2025 at 7:08pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have been active reworking their pass-rush depth this offseason, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the front office pursued two of the biggest names on the market. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com, the Patriots “had desires” to trade for Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett.

New England’s pursuit of the two extension/trade candidates surely preceded their free agent spending spree. The Raiders and Browns were rightfully correct in waiting out the trade winds, as both teams eventually inked their star pass rushers to lucrative extensions. That forced the Patriots to pivot.

Considering the Patriots’ free agency commitments, we can only assume the Eliot Wolf-led front office would have been just as willing to hand out an extension to either player. The Patriots landed interior disruptor Milton Williams on a four-year, $104MM, and they added edge rusher Harold Landry III on a three-year, $43.5MM pact. With other additions like Robert Spillane and K’Lavon Chaisson, plus holdovers like Christian Barmore and Keion White, there’s hope Mike Vrabel will guide an improved front-seven in 2025.

Despite the team’s many defensive acquisitions, the Patriots may not be done adding. There’s been an assumption that the team would select an offensive tackle with the fourth-overall pick. However, Pauline says the team’s one alternative option could be an edge rusher, and that’s with the assumption that Abdul Carter will already be off the board.

Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, and Mike Green are regarded as consensus top-20 picks, but all three edge-rush prospects would be considered a reach at No. 4. Considering the uncertainty behind the top-three picks, Jalon Walker could be an option for New England, although the Georgia product seems better positioned to slide in as an inside LB.

Our own Ely Allen projects the Patriots to select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick, a popular sentiment across the industry. However, the Patriots could pull off the first wrinkle of the draft if they add to an already-remade defense.

Tyler Shough Gaining Steam; Latest On Giants, Saints’ QB Plans

April 16th, 2025 at 10:51am CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 16: After their Thursday Sanders workout, Giants brass will head to Tuscaloosa and Louisville this weekend. The team will conduct its Milroe workout Friday, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, and go through its Shough session Saturday. Forming a potential path that includes a Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter selection at No. 3 before circling back to a quarterback, the team will meet with each prospect at dinner prior to the meetings.

APRIL 15: While likely the recipient of a few Tommy Boy references regarding his college duration, Tyler Shough has managed to become an intriguing prospect despite his three-school college odyssey spanning seven years. Shough’s stock may now be rising to the point where a first-round pick is not out of the question.

Not entering the pre-draft process on this level, Shough certainly appears to have gained steam as the journey nears its conclusion. Meeting with a few teams, Shough has seen multiple clubs label him this draft’s top QB prospect, according to NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini also indicated (via her Scoop City podcast) one coach told her Shough is this draft’s best quarterback.

Mentioning first-round buzz in connection with Shough, Russini adds Shough’s name is coming up in NFL circles far more than he was a few weeks ago. The former Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville arm will be one of this draft’s most interesting players, and he enters the NFL as part of a draft crop that features a muddled QB race behind likely No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. It would still surprise if Shough heard his name called before Shedeur Sanders, but he may be making inroads toward the Sanders-Jaxson Dart tier.

At 25, Shough would be an atypical first-round pick. Although Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix and Bo Nix all played age-24 seasons as rookies, Shough bridges the gap between this trio and the unusual Brandon Weeden/Chris Weinke NFL entrances. A 2012 Browns first-rounder, Weeden was 28 as a rookie due to a minor league baseball past. A Florida State national championship game starter, Weinke turned 29 before his rookie season. The age issue helped drop the ex-Seminoles standout to the fourth round. Shough’s profile veers closer to Weeden’s; Shough will turn 26 in September, undoubtedly creating an issue for teams eyeing a long-term quarterback solution.

This draft does not feature the depth and upside last year’s crop brought, and teams will need to weigh an investment now against waiting until 2026. Shough has met with the Browns, Saints and Seahawks, and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds the Giants will work out the 2024 Louisville starter this week.

New York, which already used one of its “30” visits on Shough, is already preparing to work out Sanders this week as well. While the Giants are now viewed as unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall, the prospect of the team trading back up for one should be considered in play — especially with Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll on hot seats. Schoen attended Shough’s pro day last month.

The Giants hold the No. 34 overall pick as well, and NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill notes the Saints may not see Shough on the board by the time their No. 40 overall pick arrives. Shough stands to be one of the players teams consider moving up for, and a move into the first round would give a team a fifth-year option on him. Shough’s age would make that prospect a bit more interesting, as he would be 30 for said fifth-year option season. QBs rarely reach their option year, though, and a second contract would cover Shough’s early 30s. A team may not have Shough for quite as long, but were he a true starter-caliber option, it would check a rather important box for many years.

The Saints have been tied to both Dart and Texas’ Quinn Ewers, as links to potential second- or third-round passers persist, and Russini adds the team is “on a mission” to leave this draft with a quarterback. Considering Derek Carr‘s now-uncertain status — due to a potential shoulder surgery stemming from a 2023 injury — there will be pressure on the Saints to have another answer.

Shough accompanies Ward as the most pro-ready options in this draft, longtime NFL QB2-turned-Russini cohost Chase Daniel offers. At No. 9 overall, New Orleans may well have all this year’s QB prospects except Ward on the board. That juncture appears early for Shough, but a trade-up may from No. 40 may be necessary to acquire the well-traveled passer. Though, other options figure to be available at 40, should Mickey Loomis and Co. stay put and hope to address this need there.

New Orleans will send a sizable contingent to Athens, Ga., for the Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams workout Thursday, Duncan adds. Both Georgia defenders would be options for the Saints at No. 9.

The Giants will be in the same boat as the Saints if they go elsewhere in Round 1, but New York does hold an extra third-round pick if a QB-motivated trade-up is to be strongly considered. The team’s previously reported Jalen Milroe workout will happen this week (per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), and Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano adds Syracuse’s Kyle McCord — an Ohio State transfer — visited the Giants today. McCord would be a Day 2 option at best for the Giants, who have placeholders Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as midlevel insurance.

Patriots Open To Trading Down; Interested In Jalon Walker, Armand Membou?

April 10th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots “would be happy” with using the fourth overall pick in April’s draft on Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, per ESPN’s Matt Miller.

Both are considered blue-chip prospects in a class with a wide range of evaluations, which is why it’s no certainty that they’ll even be available when New England is on the clock. Another team would likely need to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the top three.

If that doesn’t happen, the Patriots will be considering a wider range of options with the No. 4 pick, including a potential trade down with a team trying to acquire Sanders.

“If somebody has an offer for us, I think we’d be willing to listen,” said head coach Mike Vrabel (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss).

Vrabel also said that the team is looking to add a “premium” talent in the first round, but if Hunter and Carter are off the board, they might trade back to land another coveted prospect and gain additional draft capital.

The Patriots’ list of targets – either at No. 4 or later in the first round – could include LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who have both visited New England. Campbell in particular has been frequently linked with the Patriots due to their need along the offensive line and his potential culture fit with Vrabel.

The team has also “done a lot of work” on Missouri’s Armand Membou, per Miller. He is Campbell’s primary competition to be the first offensive linemen selected this year, and the Patriots are interested in both players.

Georgia’s Jalon Walker could also fit the playmaking mold that Vrabel is looking to add to the Patriots defense, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The hybrid linebacker can line up off-ball or on the edge and brings leadership skills and a mentality that Vrabel will appreciate.

Jalon Walker To Visit Browns

April 8th, 2025 at 2:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Cam Ward essentially viewed as a lock to be selected first overall by the Titans, the Browns are a team worth watching closely as the countdown to the draft continues. A short list of prospects in range for the second overall pick is well known, but Cleveland is looking at other options as well.

Jalon Walker is set to visit the Browns today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The Georgia product is among the top defensive prospects in the 2025 class, regardless of if he is categorized as a middle linebacker or an edge rusher. He has recently lined up a top-30 visit with the Cardinals, and other such meetings will no doubt continue over the coming days.

While Walker is widely seen as a top-10 talent, it would come as a surprise if he were to hear his name called second overall. Cleveland has a quarterback vacancy, something which leaves the door open to taking Shedeur Sanders at that spot. Both of Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are set to be available (provided the Titans do not trade out of the No. 1 slot or make a surprising move), though, and they are considered the top two overall prospects in the class. Turning down the chance to add either of them – for a reason other than adding a signal-caller – would certainly raise several eyebrows.

Cleveland has been linked to Carter, although more recently reports have pointed in a different direction. Hunter is currently perceived as the favorite to go second overall, and the Browns have done plenty of work on the Heisman winner. Carter would give the team a strong edge rush tandem opposite Myles Garrett, while Hunter would be in position to make an impact on offense (if used as a receiver) or defense (if his career began with work as a cornerback).

Walker spent each of his three seasons with the Bulldogs, showing considerable potential as a pass rusher along the way. In 2024, he remained disruptive with 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. The 6-1, 243-pounder also exceled while lining up at the second level of the team’s defense, however. Walker won the Dick Butkus Award as the country’s top linebacker in addition to receiving third-team All-American honors.

As a result, he should not need to wait long to hear his name called on the draft’s opening night. The Browns would represent a more logical suitor if they were to trade down, but they will nevertheless have additional information on Walker in the near future.

Cardinals To Meet With James Pearce, Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams

April 5th, 2025 at 9:50am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals let Chandler Jones walk in free agency during the 2022 offseason, and they lost all-time great J.J. Watt and eventual All-Pro Zach Allen in 2023. Arizona did not come especially close to picking up the pieces during the 2023 and ’24 seasons, but the team’s offseason has acknowledged the need for a better pass rush.

After re-signing trade pickup Baron Browning, the Cardinals reunited Jonathan Gannon with Josh Sweat. PFR’s No. 2-ranked free agent joined the team on a four-year, $76.4MM deal. It does not appear the Cards are content with Browning, Zaven Collins and BJ Ojulari as Sweat’s complementary pieces, as some high-profile “30” visits are on tap.

Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams and James Pearce Jr. are set to meet with the team, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Dennis Gardeck‘s six-sack season in 2023 represents Arizona’s highwater mark post-Watt, with converted ILB Collins leading the way with just five in 2024.

The Cards extended Collins last year, giving the former Steve Keim-era first-round pick a two-year, $14MM deal. Collins is signed through 2026, but nothing is guaranteed beyond this season. L.J. Collier is also back, but the ex-Seahawks first-round EDGE is on a one-year, $3MM accord that comes with $1.5MM guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. A $1MM incentive package is included in Collier’s second Cards contract.

With Sweat headlining this group, the Cardinals have the makings of a far more formidable pass rush — one that includes 2024 first-round D-lineman Darius Robinson — compared to recent years, but their “30” visits indeed point to a strong interest in making another high-level investment to strengthen its pressure cadre. It would almost definitely take a first-round pick to land Walker, Williams or Pearce. The Cardinals hold the No. 16 overall pick.

Walker sits fifth on Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com big board, making it rather unlikely he falls to No. 16. While last year’s draft seeing no defender go in the top 14 brought an early imbalance, an abundance of quarterback selections made that possible. No QB run is expected beyond Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders this year, which will likely see this draft’s top non-Abdul Carter defenders go earlier.

A backup during Georgia’s 2022 national championship-winning season, Walker began to play a bigger role in the latter slate. Over the past two seasons, Walker combined for 11.5 sacks. Last season, he posted 11 tackles for loss en route to All-American acclaim. Walker has experience on and off the ball, which is rather familiar territory for a Cardinals team that drafted both Collins and Haason Reddick.

Respectively sitting 22nd and 26th on Jeremiah’s board, Williams and Pearce may well be available at No. 16. A Walker Georgia teammate, Williams played more than his slightly higher-regarded teammate as a freshman and closed his college career with 14 sacks in three seasons. Williams finished with nine TFLs and two forced fumbles in 2024. He earned second-team All-SEC honors last year but played through a sprained ankle during his final Bulldogs slate. Pearce was more productive than either, combining for 17.5 sacks from 2023-24; this included an SEC-leading 10 in ’23. The Saints (No. 9 overall) have also come up as a potential Pearce suitor.

The Panthers, who boast a bigger EDGE need compared to the Cardinals, also met with Walker, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes. Carolina holds the No. 8 overall pick. The NFC South team also has seen Williams connections form. Although the Panthers made an addition here, Patrick Jones does not quite move the needle like Sweat does. The team is still searching for a Brian Burns successor, whereas the Cards spent to hope Sweat can deliver Chandler Jones-like production.

2025 NFL Draft Rumors: Saints, Packers, Falcons, Revel

March 27th, 2025 at 10:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints continue to stay busy having visits with 2025 NFL Draft prospects, according to multiple reports from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Last night, the team hosted several Georgia players for dinner, including a top defensive end prospect in Mykel Williams as well as wide receiver Arian Smith. They also reportedly had dinner this week with Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew, a likely Day 3 prospect whose name has not been making the rounds this early in the process. Lastly, the team was in Knoxville today reportedly meeting with some Tennessee players, including running back Dylan Sampson and defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott.

Underhill adds that the team has been doing a ton of work during the pre-draft process on running backs. Even though lead back Alvin Kamara had a career-high 950 rushing yards in 2024, combined with 543 receiving yards, the sheer depth of this year’s class of running back prospects nearly ensures that quality backs will be available into the fourth or fifth round. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has eight running backs listed in his top 100 prospects list, so it makes sense that New Orleans is doing its homework on the position.

Here are a few other rumors concerning possibilities in the 2025 NFL Draft:

The Packers currently have eight picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but if general manager Brian Gutekunst has anything to say about it, they could be angling for more. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, when asked about not having many picks this year, Gutekunst added the addendum “yet” to the end of the statement, indicating that he would have some interest in acquiring more picks via trade. Green Bay currently sits at No. 23 overall in the first round. It’s been posited that many teams from pick No. 20 on are looking to trade back out of the first round due to a lack of elite, top-end talent in this year’s class, as opposed to the tremendous depth the class seems to provide. Unfortunately, due to that same issue, there are going to be few, if any, takers willing to give up precious draft capital to move up into the first round.
One trend we seem to be seeing shows the Falcons as likely candidates to go defense in the first round of the draft. Josh Kendall of The Athletic selected safety Nick Emmanwori in the site’s beat writer mock draft, and the other players he says he considered with the pick, safety Malaki Starks, linebackers Jalon Walker and Jihaad Campbell, cornerback Will Johnson, and edges Mike Green and Shemar Stewart, all reside on the defensive side of the ball. Kendall bases this belief that the team will go defense off of new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich wanting to build a new, uniquely hybrid defense.
Lastly, Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network reported today that the Cowboys will be hosting East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel for a top-30 visit next week. We know that Revel is attempting to make a comeback from a torn ACL that ended his final collegiate season after only three games and that he is projected to be back in time for training camp. What makes this an interesting visit is that, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS, Revel’s ACL repair surgery was performed by Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper, likely giving the franchise a uniquely exclusive insight on his prognosis and recovery.

Draft Rumors: Carter, Walker, Miami, Loveland

February 26th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL Scouting Combine starts tomorrow, February 27, and will continue through Sunday, March 2. In a prospect pool that has been reportedly devoid of top-end talent but full of starters and contributors, the combine will be a prime opportunity for players to display their most impressive attributes and stand out.

One of the few elite players in the class who does not need to display anything at the combine, Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter will reportedly not be working out this weekend, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Carter is still recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in the team’s playoff game versus Boise State, an injury he played through against the Fighting Irish in the following round of the 12-team playoff.

Per Turron Davenport, also of ESPN, Carter claims to be at about 90 percent. Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has sent a letter to all NFL teams informing them that his client has been cleared to resume training and will be cleared to workout in time for his pro day on March 28.

Here are a few other draft and combine rumors before the event starts tomorrow:

Similarly, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker will not be working out at the combine, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. He is currently working his way back from a quad injury. He plans to workout at his school’s pro day, as well.
We’ve already heard that Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders will not throw at the combine, choosing to focus solely on team interviews, but Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Jalen Milroe (Alabama), and Riley Leonard (Notre Dame) will all reportedly throw this weekend, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. A determination has not yet been made for Miami passer Cam Ward, who is expected to challenge for the top pick in the draft with Carter and Sanders.
One of Ward’s top targets in Coral Gables, tight end Elijah Arroyo, will unfortunately not be participating this weekend, per Rapoport. Arroyo made waves at the Senior Bowl as an incredibly athletic mismatch for any defender, linebacker or defensive back. Unfortunately, at the same event, he suffered a knee injury that will hold him out in Indianapolis. He is expected to be ready to workout at his pro day on March 24.
Carter wasn’t the only prospect who had a doctor send a letter on his behalf this week. Notorious sports medicine specialist Dr. Neal Elattrache sent out a letter to all 32 teams claiming that Michigan tight end Colston Loveland will be able to participate in minicamp and will be fully cleared in time for training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery last month, per Schefter. As the letter insinuates, Loveland will be unavailable to work out at the combine or his pro day.
Lastly, we saw one more letter going out, this one from Dr. Daniel Cooper, the surgeon who performed an ACL reconstruction on East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel back in October. Cooper tells the league that Revel is on schedule to be fully cleared by the summer. Revel will still attend the combine for interviews and medical checks, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Georgia Defensive Stars Declare For Draft

January 12th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Stop me if you’ve heard this story before, but the University of Georgia is set to produce multiple first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker, safety Malaki Starks, and pass rusher Mykel Williams all took to social media last week to announce their declarations to enter the draft. All three players were five-star recruits in an incredible 2022 signing class for the Dawgs, with Williams ranking as the 10th highest rated signee in school history at the time.

Walker, out of Salisbury HS (NC), was 247Sports’ third-best linebacker and 26th-best overall recruit in the class. As a true freshman, Walker played sparingly on special teams and as a reserve insider linebacker. While getting slightly more time as a reserve insider linebacker in his sophomore campaign, Walker still found a way to lead the team with five sacks. Finally earning a full-time starting role as a junior, Walker set a career high in tackles (60) while leading the team with more career highs in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (6.5). Walker was awarded the Butkus Award for the nation’s best linebacker this year.

Now, Walker is almost certainly going to be a first-round draft pick, the only question remaining is: at what position? ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Field Yates and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler all view Walker as the top off-ball linebacker in the draft, with Kiper and Brugler rating him as the ninth- and seventh-best prospect, respectively, overall, touting his sideline-to-sideline capabilities with his elite pass rushing abilities adding versatility to his portfolio. ESPN’s Matt Miller and Jordan Reid, though, have Walker ranking third amongst edge rushers alongside Williams, predicting that Walker’s elite pass rushing ability will land him as an outside linebacker or defensive end in the NFL.

Williams, out of Hardaway HS (GA), was even higher ranked than Walker coming out of high school, with 247Sports listing him as the second-best defensive lineman and the seventh-best overall recruit in the nation. After an initial commitment to USC, Williams made a flip late in his senior year, deciding to go to Athens, instead.

As a true freshman, Williams led the team in sacks (4.5) despite only making two starts in 15 appearances of the team’s championship campaign. While Walker led the team in that stat each of the past two years, Williams was second on the team in both 2023 (4.5) and 2024 (5.0). Williams started 10 of 13 games as a sophomore, but after failing to take much of a step forward, Williams would only earn five starts this season, getting out-snapped by players like Chaz Chambliss, Damon Wilson Jr., and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.

We’ve seen plenty examples before to show that physical tools and potential can easily outweigh a lack of production in college, and that seems to be the case with Williams. Despite his inability to show more consistency and production at Georgia, Williams’ speed, power, and bend are viewed as top-tier traits that could make him a scary weapon on an NFL defense. Kiper and his colleagues and Brugler consistently have Williams ranked as the second- or third-best pass rusher in the draft behind only Penn State’s Abdul Carter and sometimes behind Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. Kiper lists Williams as the 16th-best overall prospect, while Brugler slots him up at eighth.

Perhaps saving the best for last, Starks was the jewel of Georgia’s recruiting class that year out of Jefferson HS (GA), ranking as the top athlete and the fourth-best overall prospect, according to 247Sports. Starks made the biggest impact of the three as a freshman, starting 14 of 15 contests. In the championship-winning campaign, Starks tied for the team-lead in passes defensed (7) while finishing second on the team with two interceptions. He finished second in both categories as a sophomore, as well, with three interceptions and seven more passes defensed. While his ball-hawking took a backseat this past season, Starks took the team-lead in another category with 77 total tackles.

While Kiper lists Starks below Walker as the 13th best overall prospect in the draft, he and his colleagues all list Starks as the top safety prospect in the class. Brugler has Starks ranked as the fourth-best overall prospect. Starks projects so highly because of his high football intelligence and his versatile ability to make plays all over the field. He has a build closer to that of a Brian Branch than a Kyle Hamilton, but he possesses the ability both pros have to make tackles in the box, close quickly in coverage, and finish plays with good hands. It may take him a moment to live up to that comparison, but the potential is absolutely there.

While there has been a large number of perceived “busts” out of Georgia in the last few years, Starks, Walker, and Williams won’t be coasting off of the boosts often applied to winners of a national championship like Travon Walker, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, and Lewis Cine, who perhaps have not lived up to their relative draft stock. Regardless, Georgia is on a three-year streak of producing multiple first-round picks, and that trend will likely continue as Starks, Walker, and Williams prepare for April.