Derek Walker (American football)
Encyclopedia
Derek Raynal Walker is an American football
defensive end
for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Illinois
.
Walker has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks
and San Francisco 49ers
.
in Lombard, Illinois
, where he was honorable mention All-State. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player in football, track and basketball, adding All-Conference gridiron honors as a senior. He was chosen to the All-Area football and basketball squad by the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. He recorded 125 tackles, 11 sacks, 30 hurries, two forced fumbles and deflected two passes as a senior, garnering Super Prep and Prep Star All-Region accolades. In track, he was a two-time All-Conference selection in the discus and was named to the All-Conference team in basketball.
selection by The NFL Draft Report and Athlon Sports Magazine. Walker started 11-of-12 games for the Illini, seeing action at both defensive end positions and also competed at right defensive tackle (lined up mostly at left end) and recorded 33 tackles (19 solos), six sacks, seven stops for losses and credited with nine quarterback pressures. He also recovered two fumbles and blocked a field goal and returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown. In 2007 Walker played in twelve games, starting the first eight contests at left defensive end before suffering a left ankle sprain. He returned for the final four games, but was relegated to reserve duty, as his injury was slow to heal. He finished with 22 tackles (12 solos), 2.5 sacks, 3.5 stops for losses and nine quarterback pressures, a Recovered fumble and deflected two passes. The previous season, 2006, he was a Second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection by The NFL Draft Report. He was named team Defensive Lineman of the Year started all twelve games at left defensive end and recorded a career-high 29 tackles (12 solos) with 5.5 sacks, eight stops for losses and 12 quarterback pressures and two deflected passes. Walker was a Freshman All-American selection by The Sporting News
As a freshman starter Walker made 26 tackles (15 solos) with a sack, six stops for losses and three quarter-back pressures a deflected pass. The 2004 season he
red-shirted in his first year at Illinois, joining the program as a 245-pound defensive end.
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He was cut by Washington in July.
Mike Hass
.
on December 28.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
.
Walker has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
Early years
Walker attended Glenbard East High SchoolGlenbard East High School
Glenbard East High School, or GEHS, is a public four-year high school located in Lombard, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, in the United States. It is part of Glenbard Township High School District 87.-History:...
in Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, "The Lilac Village", is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 42,322 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population in 2004 to be 42,975.-History:...
, where he was honorable mention All-State. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player in football, track and basketball, adding All-Conference gridiron honors as a senior. He was chosen to the All-Area football and basketball squad by the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. He recorded 125 tackles, 11 sacks, 30 hurries, two forced fumbles and deflected two passes as a senior, garnering Super Prep and Prep Star All-Region accolades. In track, he was a two-time All-Conference selection in the discus and was named to the All-Conference team in basketball.
College career
Walker was a Second-team All-Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
selection by The NFL Draft Report and Athlon Sports Magazine. Walker started 11-of-12 games for the Illini, seeing action at both defensive end positions and also competed at right defensive tackle (lined up mostly at left end) and recorded 33 tackles (19 solos), six sacks, seven stops for losses and credited with nine quarterback pressures. He also recovered two fumbles and blocked a field goal and returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown. In 2007 Walker played in twelve games, starting the first eight contests at left defensive end before suffering a left ankle sprain. He returned for the final four games, but was relegated to reserve duty, as his injury was slow to heal. He finished with 22 tackles (12 solos), 2.5 sacks, 3.5 stops for losses and nine quarterback pressures, a Recovered fumble and deflected two passes. The previous season, 2006, he was a Second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection by The NFL Draft Report. He was named team Defensive Lineman of the Year started all twelve games at left defensive end and recorded a career-high 29 tackles (12 solos) with 5.5 sacks, eight stops for losses and 12 quarterback pressures and two deflected passes. Walker was a Freshman All-American selection by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
As a freshman starter Walker made 26 tackles (15 solos) with a sack, six stops for losses and three quarter-back pressures a deflected pass. The 2004 season he
red-shirted in his first year at Illinois, joining the program as a 245-pound defensive end.
Pre-Draft
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-4 * | 271 * | 4.72 ** | 1.60 ** | 2.75 ** | 4.41 ** | 7.29 * | 37½" * | 9'09" ** | 24 * | 20 * | |||||||||
| * represents NFL Combine NFL Combine The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general... **represents Illinois Pro Day |
|||||||||||||||||||
Washington Redskins
Walker was signed by the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He was cut by Washington in July.
Seattle Seahawks
Walker then signed as a free agent with the Seahawks on July 29, 2009. He was waived after one game on September 14. He was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. The Seahawks promoted Walker to the active roster on November 10, but he did not appear in a game with the team before being waived on December 26 to make room for wide receiverWide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Mike Hass
Mike Hass
Mike Hass is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
.
San Francisco 49ers
Walker was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
on December 28.