Jalon Walker LB Georgia | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jalon Walker LB Georgia
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/07/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.50 seconds (94%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.11 DOB: 02/24/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |
| Last Updated: 02/07/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.50 seconds (94%*) | |
| Age: 20.11 DOB: 02/24/2004 | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 87.4 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
84% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
92% |
| Run Defense: |
|
68% |
| Coverage: |
|
71% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Mid
Overall Rank:
#20
Position rank:
#1
|
||
| College Games: 40 College Snaps: 956 | ||
ESPN RATING: 87/100
|
||
247 RATING: 98/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trenton Simpson - Clemson |
|
81% |
| Chris Braswell - Alabama |
|
81% |
| Derick Hall - Auburn |
|
79% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Born into a football family, Jalon Walker's journey from Salisbury High School to the University of Georgia reads like a script for defensive evolution. A five-star recruit who dominated both sides of the ball in North Carolina, Walker arrived in Athens with sky-high expectations and the raw tools to match. His defensive versatility showed early, contributing meaningful snaps as a freshman during Georgia's national championship run.Walker's emergence as a defensive chess piece truly materialized in 2023, where he terrorized quarterbacks with five sacks despite playing primarily in a reserve role. The 2024 season marked his explosion onto the national stage, earning the prestigious Butkus Award while anchoring a ferocious Georgia defense. His versatility shined brightest against Texas, where he recorded three sacks and consistently disrupted the backfield, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
The 6'2", 245-pound linebacker's collegiate career culminated in a decorated senior campaign that included First-Team All-America honors from multiple publications. Walker's development from specialized pass rusher to every-down defender showcases his dedication to mastering the nuances of linebacker play, while maintaining the explosive elements that made him a blue-chip recruit.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Developed impressive pattern-matching skills in zone coverage, showing natural feel for route combinations and spacing
- Quick first step off the edge translates to devastating pass rush ability, demonstrated by his three-sack performance against Texas in 2024
- Shows rare bend and ankle flexion for a linebacker his size, consistently able to flatten around tackles while maintaining speed to the quarterback
- Natural block destructor who uses powerful hands and leverage to keep himself clean, particularly effective when working through traffic
- Brings scheme versatility with experience both as an edge rusher and off-ball linebacker in Georgia's multiple defensive looks
- Exceptional closing speed in space, verified by his blazing 4.50 forty time that puts him in the 94th percentile at the position
- High-motor player who consistently affects the quarterback, evidenced by his team-leading pressure numbers against Kentucky
- Takes on blocks with excellent pad level and leverage, consistently maintaining position to make plays in the run game
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Still developing his instincts as an off-ball linebacker, occasionally showing hesitation when diagnosing run plays and flowing to the ball
- Can get caught playing too square against offensive linemen, limiting his ability to disengage quickly in the run game
- Limited starting experience with only 11 starts at the collegiate level may require patience during his NFL transition
- Shows some rawness in man coverage techniques, particularly when matching up against more nuanced route runners
- Will occasionally overpursue in space, leading to missed opportunities in the backfield when playing as an edge defender
Scouting Report: Summary
Walker's explosiveness off the edge and development as an off-ball linebacker jump off the screen. His combination of twitch and power reminds me of Anthony Barr coming out of UCLA – a defensive weapon waiting to be unleashed. The way he demolished Texas's protection scheme with three sacks showed exactly what he can be at the next level.The Ravens or Cowboys would be perfect landing spots, where creative defensive minds could maximize his versatility as both a stack linebacker and designated pass rusher. His closing speed and natural feel for rushing the passer scream third-down playmaker from day one. The coverage skills are still raw, but the athletic traits and processing speed suggest he'll develop quickly in that area.
Give Walker two years in an NFL strength program while letting him hunt quarterbacks on passing downs, and you're looking at a defensive cornerstone. His film against SEC competition proves he can hang with NFL-caliber athletes. The ceiling here is a Pro Bowl linebacker who defensive coordinators can deploy as their ace card – whether it's shutting down tight ends in coverage or creating havoc off the edge. Few prospects in this class offer that kind of game-changing potential.
Written By:
Wyatt Brooks (SEC)
How other scouting services rate Jalon Walker (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
20.9
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
1.0
*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.