Jalon Walker, a 2024 AP All-America Third Team linebacker from Georgia, fell to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 16 in the first round of NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft posted on Saturday.
Walker won the Butkus Award given to the top linebacker in the nation each year after piling up 6.5 sacks, 60 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and two passes defensed as a junior in 2024.
As more of a role player during his true freshman season in 2022, Walker contributed to the Bulldogs winning the national championship. He produced five sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss in 2023 before breaking out as one of the nation’s defensive stars in 2024.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound linebacker has experience off the ball or along the edge, giving a prospective NFL team versatility. Last year, he played 249 snaps on the defensive line and 311 in the box, according to Pro Football Focus.
Jalon Walker is a coaches dream.
➖ Pass-rush + linebacker versatility ➖ Run game discipline/fundamentals ➖ Rapid trigger + athleticism
20-years-old with limited experience btw… pic.twitter.com/GsKj3GqcIB
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) January 17, 2025
Jeremiah listed two edge rushers in his top 15 picks and no inside linebackers ahead of Walker. Penn State’s Abdul Carter goes first to Tennessee and Georgia’s Mykel Williams winds up in New Orleans with the ninth pick.
Walker is a bit undersized as an edge rusher, but he offers an intriguing mix of length, explosiveness and playmaking ability.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projected Walker would land in the top 10 in his mock draft, linking him to the Carolina Panthers at No. 8.
Walker is versatile, and he can line up as a traditional off-ball linebacker or as an edge rusher. His game is all about speed-to-power, and no matter where you put him, he can get into the backfield to blow up plays.
Kiper mocked Alabama guard Tyler Booker to Arizona at No. 16.
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The Cardinals could use a defensive disruptor off the edge next season. An already thin outside linebacker position group took injury hits with BJ Ojulari missing the entire season and Dennis Gardeck going down with a torn ACL after seven games played.
Gardeck is a free agent along with fellow outside linebackers Baron Browning, Julian Okwara and Victor Dimukeje. Zaven Collins has one season left on a two-year extension — another player who entered the draft with versatility to play inside and outside linebacker.
Arizona’s off-ball linebacker crew also faces free agent questions, notably with team captain Kyzir White entering the market. Mack Wilson Sr. has one more year under contract.
Another top-10 mock draft selection for Tetairoa McMillan
Jeremiah picked Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan No. 8 overall to Carolina, joining the growing list of mock drafts with McMillan landing in the top 10.
The Panthers continue to build around Bryce Young with a big, rangy and athletic receiver in McMillan. He’ll be a red-zone menace.
Kiper previously picked McMillan No. 6 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders after he finished the 2024 campaign with 1,319 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
When is the NFL Draft?
The NFL Draft is just about three months out, with the first round on April 24. The NFL Scouting Combine is set to run from Feb. 27 to March 2.
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