The Baltimore Ravens would be wise to target DeMarcus Walker in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He could fill the Ravens need at defensive end masterfully:
DeMarcus Walker is one of those players that is just fun to watch. He has a high motor and his playing style is intense. I say this as a compliment, Walker is nasty on the football field. He was a productive defensive lineman for the Florida State Seminoles. In 2016 he had 16 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss. In his four year career with the Seminoles, he had 27 sacks and 41 tackles for a loss. Walker was clearly a play-maker.
With that kind of production, you may be wondering why he is a guy the Ravens could target in the second round of the draft. The biggest problem with Walker is that he doesn’t have ideal size. His NFL.com Draft profile lists him at 6’4″ 280 pounds. This is what Lance Zierlien wrote about Walker in his draft profile:
"“He’s a base end with power to hold up at the point, but better suited to reduce inside as interior rusher on passing downs. Walker lacks the desired size and physical traits teams look for off the edge; a move to three-technique isn’t out of the question.”"
Finding his fit in the NFL is the real question with Walker. There isn’t any doubt that he has the talent. When you watch Walker, his athletic ability jumps out at you. He has a really good knack for getting inside leverage on the offensive tackle. His pass rushing ability is there and it’s because of his athletic prowess and good strength. What I see in Walker, is a player the Ravens could bulk up a little to make him a 3-4 defensive end.
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The kind of production that Walker had at Florida State doesn’t just happen. Walker has a great bull rush, he can be overpowering. The upside with Walker is insane. He doesn’t have the polish of a Jonathan Allen or a Malik McDowell, but he is a special athlete.
He Passes The Eye Test:
Walker passes the eye test. Every time I watched Florida State, Walker impressed me. Walker showed his stuff against the best competition. Against an Ole Miss team that is always competitive in the mighty SEC West, Walker had 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He literally was a one man wrecking crew. In the Seminoles bowl game against Michigan, he had a sack and four tackles for a loss.
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The Baltimore Ravens have some interesting options at defensive end. Carl Davis and Bronson Kaufusi could fill the vacancies next to Brandon Williams on the defensive line. However, we can’t rule out Walker as a potential defensive end in the Ravens defense. He has the talent and the explosive ability to be a great force for the defense. Walker may not have ideal size, but he doesn’t miss the marks by much. He can’t make his arms any longer but he can bulk up a bit. If he adds 15-20 pounds, of mostly muscle, he can be even better than Jernigan was.