Tennessee Vols have another shot to land coveted recruit they previously missed on
The Tennessee Vols have a shot at a highly coveted recruit that they previously missed on. 2023 four-star edge rusher Rico Walker decommitted from the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night. Walker, 6-foot-3/233 lbs from Hickory, NC, is ranked in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 24 edge rusher in the nation and the […]
The Tennessee Vols have a shot at a highly coveted recruit that they previously missed on.
2023 four-star edge rusher Rico Walker decommitted from the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night.
Walker, 6-foot-3/233 lbs from Hickory, NC, is ranked in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 24 edge rusher in the nation and the No. 7 player in the state of North Carolina.
Walker committed to North Carolina back in July. Tennessee was one of his finalists at the time (along with Auburn, Florida, and Maryland).
The North Carolina native visited Tennessee twice in the spring and twice last season, so he's quite familiar with Knoxville.
I'm sure the Vols' coaching staff will be in contact with Walker. And perhaps Tennessee will get back into the battle for his commitment.
Early signing day is just a little over a month away, so the Vols won't have a lot of time to make this happen. But the good news is that Walker already has an established relationship with Tennessee's coaches, so the Vols should be able to make some noise here.
Here's the scouting report on Walker from 247Sports:
Has build of an edge but can add size and play with hand on ground. Athleticism shines when high-pointing ball in passing game. Possesses very good body control and is a sure tackler in space. Has burst at snap and gets up field quickly. Shows lower body flexibility to bend knee, dip shoulder and accelerate around edge. Is agile and can drop into coverage in flat. Can track down ball carrier behind line of scrimmage when unblocked off edge. Has closing speed. Plays with energy and effort. Understands assignments and is capable of setting edge. There is a physical element to game but needs to be more consistent. Has to continue to develop upper body strength. Stacks and sheds at times, but technique development is important. Has to work on ability to disengage and re-direct along line of scrimmage. Multi-year starter at Top 20 program. Has mid-round NFL draft pick potential.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
