Heading into the draft, working again failed to always stand out as just one of the Seahawks a lot more urgent desires. The crew re-signed Rashaad Penny in cost-free agency and even if Chris Carson failed to bounce back from neck surgical procedure, DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer remained on the roster.
On the other hand, with Seattle regarded for deploying a well balanced offense with much more emphasis on the floor game than most NFL groups, Penny remaining on just a just one-year offer, and Carson’s wellness up in the air at this point, general manager John Schneider threw his annual draft week curveball by working with 1 of the team’s two next spherical alternatives to decide on Michigan Point out jogging back again Kenneth Walker III with pick No. 41.
Soon after beginning his higher education occupation at Wake Forest, Walker transferred to Michigan Condition prior to the 2021 season and erupted as the showcased back again in a professional-design and style procedure. Successful the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best working again and earning First-Staff All-American honors, he rushed for more than 1,600 yards and scored 18 touchdowns on the ground, supporting the Spartans complete with an 11-2 document.
Built with an athletic 5-foot-9, 211-pound body, Walker isn’t really always a bruising battering ram like Carson who bowls more than defenders like a dump truck on a frequent basis. On the other hand, he breaks and slips via arm tackles in bunches with a potent set of pistons underneath him and has enough wiggle in house to make defenders appear up vacant at the next degree. When he finds daylight, he turns on the jets with sub-4.40 speed to go the distance.
Scroll to Go on
For every Sporting activities Facts Answers, the dynamic Walker led the nation with 1,001 hurrying yards soon after speak to and broke 85 tackles past season. Apparently, according to Pro Football Aim, he tied Penny and Colts star Jonathan Taylor for the optimum yards after contact normal in a year (4.5).
A physical runner with explosive athletic attributes, Walker only fumbled 2 times in his full college vocation and does an superb career of safeguarding the football. He also proved to be long lasting, racking up 20 or more carries in six video games for the Spartans and being balanced throughout the program of his lone period as a aspect back.
Entering the league, Walker’s move catching potential remains mainly unfamiliar. He only caught 18 passes in his full faculty job, but he was dependable when given prospects to add in the passing game and did not drop any passes a calendar year ago. To be an each down back again, having said that, he will have to make big strides in go protection, as he does not consistently action up into the battle to just take on oncoming blitzers, usually seeming disinterested.
In the instant foreseeable future, Walker’s position in the backfield will experience on Carson’s wellness. If the veteran ball carrier is just not nutritious more than enough to return to enjoy, and the variety of a back again this early indicates the business isn’t really hopeful, the All-Big 10 range will be the favored to join forces with Penny and form an exciting a person-two punch. Beyond 2022, if he increases in go defense, he has a good likelihood to come to be the team’s new bell cow again in the close to future.