Could Deone Walker Be A Two-Way Lineman?

Deone Walker, right, was recruited by most schools to play offense but now he's an All-American defensive lineman at UK. (Vicky Graff Photo)

On WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk, former UK all-SEC running back Anthony White asked Kentucky offensive line coach Zach Yenser how hard it was to block sophomore defensive tackle Deone Walker.

We got an answer that was a little different. Yenser said not only was Walker hard to block, but so was the entire defensive line. However, what surprised us was this: “As an O-line coach, I am still trying to get Deone to be a two-way player,” Yenser said.

About an hour later, we had UK defensive line coach Anwar Stewart — Walker’s position coach — on air with us and KSR’s Jack Pilgrim asked Stewart if he wanted to share Walker with Yenser.

“That is his thing. Every day Yenser talks about that. Him and (North Carolina transfer) Keeshawn (Silver). I just tell him you have got to recruit better,” Stewart joked.

However, in fairness, Walker was a highly-sought after offensive line recruit by many big-time schools coming out of Cass Tech in Detroit, Mich. Kentucky was one of the few who offered him a chance to play defense.

“More schools did look at him as a tackle or guard. Our vision was to see him dominate like (All-American defensive lineman) Jordan Davis at Georgia did,” Stewart said.

“I tell him to be as elite as he wants to be, he has to continue getting in the weight room and get his body in even better shape. It really is up to him just how elite he wants to be.”

Stewart said Walker is a “smart” player who came in “hungry and ready to go” in college. However, Stewart realizes after earning freshman All-American honors as well as all-SEC honors, Walker faces the challenge to keep pushing hard.

“For me, my job is keeping him humble and continuing to coach him hard,” Stewart said. “I am not afraid to sit him down and get those other guys in there. One guy does not run the show. Deone is elite and can take us as far as he wants but I have to keep him humble. We talk about gratitude and humility in our (position) room all the time.”

Stewart also reminds Walker about keeping NIL revenue in perspective.

“The NIL money now does not compare to the money you can make a couple of years from now,” Stewart said he tells Walker. “I just want to keep pushing him.”