Shocking injury news explains sudden 2025 NFL Draft stock drop for 3-time All-SEC defender
Kentucky's monstrous defensive tackle, Deone Walker, was one of the most impactful players in the country in 2023. However, the 6-foot-6, 345-pound junior struggled to repeat his performance in 2024, and he saw his NFL Draft stock plummet. This week, Walker revealed he was dealing with a fracture in his back this past season. Yes, […]
Kentucky's monstrous defensive tackle, Deone Walker, was one of the most impactful players in the country in 2023. However, the 6-foot-6, 345-pound junior struggled to repeat his performance in 2024, and he saw his NFL Draft stock plummet.
This week, Walker revealed he was dealing with a fracture in his back this past season. Yes, he had a broken back, and was not always featured on the injury report.
“It was a pars defect,” Walker said. “That’s big terminology for me. I don’t know what that means, but it healed itself up. Now, I only gotta do PT to keep it right.”
Evaluators were wondering what was going on with Walker this past year. His shocking blend of power and speed for his size was zapped, and his leverage was even worse than before. He went from a top 10 projection to late Day 2 range.
Going from 55 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks to 37 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks will do that.
Only 21, it's now easier to understand what the big man was going through.
“It was the whole season. If you all can go back and look at the games, you probably see me on the sideline, bent over because it was hurting so bad. I didn’t want people to think I’m sitting out for the wrong reasons, just because I’m scared I’m gonna get injured,” he said. “I go 110% for this team.”
Earning two team captain nods and three All-SEC nominations, Walker will be one of the freak athletes taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. Being young and having a broken back isn't a good omen, but he's a high-upside gamble worth taking.
