NFL Draft 2022 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
With the top four wide receivers gone in the first 12 picks and six wideouts gone by the time Green Bay was on the clock at pick No. 22, the Packers opted instead to pair reigning first-team All-Pro inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell with a first-round rookie from the best defense in college football. Quay Walker, who turns 22 on May 8, is a run-stuffing middle linebacker who will help a defense that has struggled to stop the run in recent years. After suffering from mediocre inside linebacker play for so long, the Packers have now emphasized the position this offseason with both a hefty re-signing and a first-round pick.
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The Packers ranked last in the NFL last season in defensive total rush EPA (expected points added) and 30th in successful play rate on opposing team’s rushes, according to TruMedia. Opponents converted 60 percent of their third-down rushes into first downs, the fifth-worst clip in the league. The Packers also surrendered 4.7 yards per rush, the third-worst mark in the NFL.
The Athletic’s draft guru Dane Brugler writes of Walker, “(He) is still developing his instincts, especially in coverage, but he aces the eye test with his exceptional combination of size, length and athleticism to dominate vs. the run. He has the potential to be a four-down impact linebacker in the NFL.”
• Draft grades: Sheil Kapadia weighs in on the picks
• Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Big Board ranking: Walker ranked No. 31 in Brugler’s Top 300. Other players the Packers might’ve considered near Walker on Brugler’s Big Board include fellow Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean, Georgia safety Lewis Cine, UConn defensive tackle Travis Jones, Houston defensive lineman Logan Hall and Georgia defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt.
Introduction (from Georgia beat writer Seth Emerson’s profile of Walker): Walker is one of a handful of Georgia products whose NFL career has a chance to surpass his college production. Despite being a highly ranked recruit (No. 31 overall in the 2018 class), he was a second-teamer for the better part of his first three seasons, thanks to the presence of future pros Monty Rice and Tae Crowder. And even when Walker ascended to a starting role as a senior, he shared time with Channing Tindall, another talented inside linebacker.
But Walker’s talent and impact ability were easy to see. He tied for third on the team in tackles (with Tindall) despite sharing snaps, and was also a willing and key member of Georgia’s special teams (he played the third-most special teams snaps of any defensive player).
There have been three other NFL players to come out of Cordele (Ga.), the last being offensive lineman Andre Ramsey, who played from 2008 to ’12. Walker is set up to have a much longer career, and nobody who watched him at Georgia would be surprised to see him blossom at the top level.
Defense 🔥
— Kenny Clark (@KCBoutThatLife) April 29, 2022
How he fits: Though the Packers re-signed Campbell to a lucrative long-term deal in March, they needed better options behind him. Krys Barnes has shown flashes over his first two seasons since the Packers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2020, but Walker could be an upgrade. The Packers likely will play their fair share of nickel defense under second-year defensive coordinator Joe Barry considering they have three starting-caliber cornerbacks in Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas and Barry’s affinity for the slot corner/Star/nickelback position, but having two stud inside linebackers is better than having one. Not only will Walker give Green Bay a sturdy second option if Campbell gets hurt or needs a break, but the Packers can now more confidently put two inside linebackers on the field if they want to.
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Second guess? Instead of Walker, perhaps the Packers were considering fellow Georgia defender Devonte Wyatt, their pick at No. 28. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday night that based off his communication with people inside the building, he knew the Packers were high on Wyatt and didn’t know if he’d be available at either of their picks.
Brian Gutekunst on Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt: “Their speed and explosiveness is off the charts.” pic.twitter.com/CIIH56uvRe
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 29, 2022
Depth-chart impact: Walker, like a first-round receiver may have had to do, doesn’t have to be the No. 1 option at his position right away. He has an All-Pro first-teamer ahead of him and said Thursday, “Playing alongside De’Vondre Campbell, that’ll be pretty good.” That’s the understatement of the night.
Fast evaluation: Yes, the Packers had a glaring vacancy at wide receiver. But they also needed significant upgrades to their run defense. While Walker’s specialty may not yet be pass coverage, he has excelled against the run. Given where the Packers can still find value at wide receiver in the later rounds, nabbing someone to address their biggest defensive deficiency seemed like a wise move in the first round.
(Photo of Quay Walker: Zach Bolinger / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
