Deone Walker 2025 NFL Draft scouting report: Strengths, weaknesses and best fits

Deone Walker possesses elite size and athleticism within the interior of the defensive line. His impressive frame will catch the attention of NFL teams. However, his film reveals several concerning traits that should be noted.

He was a four-star recruit according to 247 Sports and On3, while ESPN rated him as a three-star recruit. He chose to commit to Kentucky, turning down offers from other schools such as Alabama, Georgia, and Michigan. Walker was a highly regarded recruit coming out of high school.

In 2024, he recorded 37 tackles (13 solo), 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. As mentioned before, his size is impressive, as is his athleticism, which creates mismatches in the interior.

Let's dive into the analysis below.

Deone Walker NFL Draft Bio

Strengths

Walker demonstrates elite size and good athletic ability due to good foot quickness, lateral agility, and upfield burst. When facing base blocks, he effectively sheds them due to his good body strength and his ability to utilize a swim move.

As a pass rusher, he excels as a bull rusher due to his upper body strength, hand timing, and placement, which allow him to extend and generate power through his hips. His quickness, length, and energy can sometimes create pressure from within. He can be positioned from the 0-5 technique.

Weaknesses

Right off the snap, he demonstrates marginal pad level and a lack of effective hand usage, which leads to a loss of leverage and being displaced out of position. Walker is adequate when facing combination blocks and down blocks as he struggles due to delayed recognition or adjusting his body to account for a second blocker, making him more susceptible to being displaced.

A major concern is his inconsistency throughout the games, as well as his conditioning, where he displays only adequate motor skills. He’s not the type of prospect who wins every rep or wants to; he tends to conserve energy early in the game for critical moments, or sometimes he doesn’t, which results in him running out of gas.

Summary

As we have mentioned multiple times, Walker's size and athleticism are enough for scouts to give his film multiple looks. He is an interior defensive lineman who can create disruption with his quickness and can easily beat offensive linemen across their face.

Walker's combination of upper body strength and size allows him to win at the point of attack at times effectively. He is difficult to move as a run defender against one-on-one blocks and can collapse the pocket with his bull-rushing ability. That said, his lack of motor, competitive toughness, pad level, and conditioning make him a concerning prospect to select high in the draft. That results in a day three grade because, as we all know, you want players who will play at full speed on every rep.

Deone Walker Potential NFL Draft Fits: