Jalon Walker, Linebacker/Edge

Height/Weight: 6-2, 245 lbs

Age: 20

School: Georgia Bulldogs

Season	Pass Rush Pressures	Sacks	Total Tackles
2022	13	1	9
2023	26	5	14
2024 (thru Week 12)	34	7	51
Career Totals	63	13	74

Pros:

• Unmatched Do-It-All Skill Set in the 2025 NFL Draft Class
  Jalon Walker is a true hybrid between edge defender and off-ball linebacker. He's long, strong, and flexible to win in pass rush. Walker is fast, understands leverage, and block sheds well so he can succeed at linebacker. He lines up all over the place making him the most important player in perhaps any defense he plays within at the NFL level.
• Elite Havoc Creation
  Even when he doesn't get home in pass rush or finish a play with a tackle Walker is often forcing a mistake by the offense. He'll take out multiple blockers when he can, generates tackles for loss, jams skill position players off their routes and more. Walker always finds a way to impact a play no matter what.
• Consistent Pass Rush Metrics
  Most every Georgia pass rushing defender has struggled at some point in the last two seasons as the Bulldogs have looked more human, but Jalon Walker has not. He's averaged near a 20% pass rush pressure rate throughout his career which is on par with most first round edge rushers.

Rewatching Georgia and Clemson from earlier today: #UGA LB Jalon Walker really popped in the second half. Taking on blocks head on in the run game, as a pass rusher off the edge and then chasing down the play from the backside. Came for Mykel Williams and stayed for Walker. pic.twitter.com/ehygkl4YWW

— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) September 1, 2024

Cons

• Tackling Consistency
  For much of Jalon Walker's career he has shown to be a strong tackling defender, but he's let a few more slip by him this season. This is nitpicking, since when he does make good contact he's often absolutely destroying offensive playmakers, but he's missed a half dozen tackles this in 2024.
• Questionable Coverage Ability
  Walker is incredibly versatile, but he's also a bit stiff in the hips in coverage. If a team wants to deploy him full-time at off-ball linebacker he might get exposed in coverage at times against smaller, shiftier players.
• Scheme Fit Issues
  He doesn't really fit as an even-front defensive end. And he might not perfectly fit as an every down off-ball linebacker in the NFL given coverage necessity. He might fit as an odd-front edge defender or pass rush specialist immediately, but if a team doesn't deploy him correctly Walker might not reach his incredibly high ceiling.

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Player Evaluation:

Jalon Walker is a bit of a unicorn. He can play several roles incredibly well in the front six or seven defenders. His consistent pass rush win rates and first round athletic traits make him a wildly difficult defender to plan and scheme against.

However, it might take some time for him to find his best fit at the NFL level. He could certainly improve in coverage, but if asked to do that a lot early on there might be struggles. Walker should succeed as a pass rush specialist early on, with flexibility to play a hybrid role throughout his career given his freak athleticism.

Player Comparison:

Haason Reddick
Jalon Walker looks a lot like Haason Reddick. Early on in Reddick's career teams tried to force him into an off-ball linebacker role when his best skill set involved sacking opposing quarterbacks. Once the NFL finally figured out how to use him he became one of the best in the league. Walker might follow that exact career arc after he's selected early in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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A to Z Rankings:

A to Z Big Board Ranking: 24

A to Z Draft Grade: 8.51 (out of 10)

Draft projection: Late 1st Round (8.01-9.00)

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