Is Walker the Giants’ next “Dancing Elephant” at defensive tackle?
The New York Giants have a “type” when it comes to the defensive tackle position.
The Giants have viewed the “Planet Theory” as a rule when drafting defensive tackles for over a decade and a half now. The “Planet Theory” states that there are few people walking the planet who have a truly elite size as well as elite athleticism.
Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker might as well have his picture in the dictionary beside “Planet Theory”. Standing 6-foot-7, 340 pounds, there are few people on Earth as big as Walker. And of that subset of people, there are very few who can move like he does.
I’ll put it this way: Kentucky lined Walker up at edge on occasion, and he won.
Walker would fit right in beside Linval Joseph, Johnathan Hankins, Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill, and Dexter Lawrence.
But while Walker looks like a Giant, will he be one come May?
Prospect: Deone Walker (0)
Games Watched: vs. Missouri (2023), vs. South Carolina (2024), vs. Georgia (2024), vs. Ole Miss (2024)
Measurables
Height: 6-foot 7¼ inches
Weight: 340
Arm length: 34⅝ inches
Hand size: 10⅜ inches
Strengths
Best traits
- Size
- Athleticism
- Power
- Versatility
- Competitive toughness
Walker is a massive young man with a rare blend of size and athleticism. Standing 6-foot 7 ¼ inches tall and weighing 340 pounds, Walker looks like a classic nose tackle. However, he has a basketball background and is ridiculously agile for a man his size.
The Wildcats’ defense took full advantage of his athletic traits and played him all over their defensive front. Walker played every position from a true 0-technique nose tackle to a rush linebacker in a Wide 9 alignment. He generally keys the snap well and has a good first step with little wasted energy. Despite his size, Walker is a one-gap penetrator at heart and does a good job of gaining ground off his first step and attacking into the backfield. His length and power make him a handful for individual blockers and he can put NFL caliber linemen on skates when he maintains his leverage.
Walker is a good run defender with plenty of strength to two-gap or command double teams. He understands how to put his hips in the gap to leverage the ball and his agility allows him to make plays on the ball carrier in an instant. Walker is also able to use his long arms and powerful grip to make plays one-handed while engaged with blockers.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Leverage
- Block deconstruction
Walker’s greatest strength is also his primary weakness: His sheer size.
While Walker isn’t limited by his mass like many nose tackles, his height often works against him. He can be prone to popping upright at the snap – or allowing his pads to rise over the course of the play – which neutralizes much of his incredible power. His massive body gives offensive linemen plenty of surface area, while his relatively high-cut build gives them an opportunity to get under his pads.
Walker also needs to polish the technical side of his game. He’s frequently able to win by simply overwhelming blockers, but can find himself hung up on blocks when they engage him with good technique. Walker needs to get better, or at least more consistent, at using his length and hands to neutralize blocks and win with technique. He has a tendency to default to an arm-over move when rushing the passer, which can further expose his chest and he lacks a good counter if his initial rush is stymied.
The combination of leverage issues and sloppy hand usage leads to a few too many instances of Walker being stood up at the line of scrimmage by individual blockers.
Game Tape
(Walker is the Kentucky DL wearing number 0 with a white shirt under his jersey)
Projection
Walker projects as a starting defensive lineman at the NFL level, with the versatility to play in any pro scheme.
Walker will need some development to reach his ceiling at the NFL level. That said, he has some truly impressive potential if he can land with a good defensive line coach. He’ll make noise from Day 1 simply due to his size, power, and athleticism, but he has the chance to be a Pro Bowl player early in his career.
It’s also worth noting that Walker is very young and his 21st birthday is March 11th, 2025. He may not be done maturing physically or mentally.
The key for Walker will be to learn how to consistently play with leverage and use his technique to fully unlock his prodigious physical tools.
Does he fit the Giants?
Yes
Final Word: An early Day 2, or late Day 1, pick
