David Walker LB/EDGE Central Arkansas | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
David Walker LB/EDGE Central Arkansas
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/05/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.69 seconds (56%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |
| Last Updated: 03/05/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.69 seconds (56%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 82.8 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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54% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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77% |
| Pass Rush: |
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100% |
| Run Defense: |
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100% |
| Coverage: |
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87% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#157
Position rank:
#12
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| College Games: 23 College Snaps: 1303 | ||
ESPN RATING: 74/100
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247 RATING: 83/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.3 (87%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Derick Hall - Auburn |
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54% |
| Chris Braswell - Alabama |
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53% |
| Marte Mapu - Sacramento State |
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47% |
Draft Profile: Bio
David Walker exploded onto the FCS scene after transferring from Division II Southern Arkansas, transforming from an unheralded high school recruit into one of the most decorated defensive players in Central Arkansas history. Born on June 3, 2000, the 6'1", 263-pound edge defender from Stuttgart, Arkansas carved his path through the lower levels of college football with relentless determination. Walker's multi-sport background as a football, basketball, and soccer athlete at Stuttgart High shines through in his athletic versatility on the field.Walker's Central Arkansas career reads like a trophy case inventory - three consecutive First-Team All-American selections, three straight conference Defensive Player of the Year awards, and the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award as the nation's top FCS defender in 2024. The numbers tell the story of a defensive force: 31 sacks and 63 tackles for loss over three seasons, with his final campaign featuring 23 TFLs, 10.5 sacks, and 55 total pressures. Before becoming the Bears' wrecking ball, Walker dominated at Southern Arkansas, where he earned First-Team All-Great American Conference honors while leading the league in both sacks and tackles for loss.
Following his decorated college career, Walker accepted an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl, marking the beginning of his journey to prove himself against higher-caliber competition. This three-time conference Defensive Player of the Year faces the classic small-school challenge – translating prolific production against lesser competition to the NFL level – but his invitation to Mobile speaks to the league's interest in his disruptive potential.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Super athletic - Made Bruce Feldman's Freak's List at #76. He Wrote: "Walker had 66 tackles, 21 TFLs, and 12 sacks in 2022. The 6-2, 260-pound Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Year runs the 40 in 4.65, vertical-jumped 36 inches and power-cleaned 374. He’s also squatted 615 pounds this offseason and benched 225 pounds for 24 reps. "
- Possesses ferocious hand usage with a developed toolbox including two-handed swipes, rips, and swim moves that create separation despite length limitations.
- Natural leverage advantage combined with explosive power enables him to consistently win the pad level battle against taller offensive tackles.
- Runs angry in pursuit with a motor that never quits, showing impressive range when hunting down ball carriers from the backside.
- Converts speed to power effectively, driving tackles backward and opening B-gap rushing lanes that weren't there initially.
- Demonstrates impressive lower body twitch when changing direction, creating havoc against FCS linemen who couldn't match his sudden explosiveness.
- Finishing mentality pops on film – once he gets vision on the quarterback, his closing burst and tackling authority seal the deal.
- Shows some dog in him when attacking the football, consistently ripping and tearing to create turnover opportunities.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Severely limited arm length creates significant concerns about his ability to stack and shed NFL-caliber blockers in the run game.
- Inconsistent pass rush plan – flashes technical brilliance but often relies too heavily on athleticism that won't translate one-for-one against NFL tackles.
- Lacks ideal bend around the edge, occasionally getting pushed upfield past the quarterback when he can't fully unlock his hips.
- Physical frame at 263 pounds appears maxed out without the height to distribute additional functional strength while maintaining explosiveness.
- Competition level creates legitimate projection questions – dominated FCS opposition but lacks reps against NFL-caliber offensive tackles.
Scouting Report: Summary
Walker projects as a specialized rotational pass rusher who could provide immediate spark in third-down packages while developing a more complete game. His explosive first step, natural leverage, and relentless motor give him a foundation to build upon, though his physical limitations suggest a defined role rather than every-down potential.Scheme fit will be crucial to Walker's NFL success – teams employing 3-4 defenses that can deploy him as an outside linebacker with some coverage responsibilities rather than a hand-in-dirt edge will maximize his athletic gifts. Defensive coordinators who can scheme one-on-one matchups for Walker against tight ends and running backs in pass protection will get the most juice from his explosive skillset.
Don't be fooled by the small school pedigree – this is a football player who brings legitimate juice off the edge. While his draft stock likely lands in the Day 2/3 range due to length concerns and level of competition questions, Walker has the physical tools and production profile to outperform his draft position.
Written By:
J.T. Smith
David Walker percentiles vs other Linebackers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate David Walker (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
115.4
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
14.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.