Defensive lineman Deone Walker is the first UK true freshman to earn all-SEC honors since 2014. (UK Athletics Photo)
It’s not easy for a true freshman to make a name for himself as a defensive lineman in the Southeastern Conference.
Yet that is just what Deone Walker did at Kentucky this year.
He emerged as UK’s best defensive lineman and one of the best freshman defensive linemen in the nation — and one that many UK fans worry other schools might try to lure away with a lucrative NIL deal.
Monday he was named to the Associated Press Second-Team All-Southeastern Conference. The only other true freshmen on the team were Quinshon Judkins of Ole Miss and Harold Perkins of Louisiana State.
The 6-6, 330-pound Walker is the first UK freshman named to the AP All-SEC team since kicker Austin MacGinnis’ first-team honor in 2014.
He has 39 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and one forced fumble going into UK’s game in the Music City Bowl Dec. 31 against Iowa.
This is not the first postseason honor for Walker. Pro Football Focus named him to its True Freshman All-America Team and was named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week for his play against Louisville.
“This dude is just different,” UK associate coach Vince Marrow said. “Everybody in the country knows he can play. To come into the SEC and do what he has done as a true freshman is amazing.”
2 Responses
To lose him for ANY reason would be a tragedy.
What a player. We need the Kraft’s or a car Dealership to offer him a truck load of NIL money. Or maybe Joe B’s. But we need to do what ever we can to keep him. He will only get better. What an amazing job of recruiting to get him here in the 1st place. You could see him getting better game by game.
Losing him would be criminal and painful!
Go Cats.