Hailing from South Carolina powerhouse Dutch Fork, Julian Walker brings length, motor, and a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves to Ann Arbor. This scouting breakdown dives into his strengths, areas for development, and long-term potential in Michigan’s stacked defensive front.
Whatever the Michigan Wolverines are paying defensive line coach Lou Esposito, it’s not enough. Esposito is currently ranked as a top-five recruiter nationally and has secured commitments from an all-star class, including Carter Meadows, Titan Davis, Alister Vallejo, McHale Blade, Tariq Boney, and, most recently, Julian Walker.
We have already evaluated Blade and Davis . Today, let’s take a closer look at what Walker brings to the table.
Background
Walker plays his prep football for South Carolina powerhouse Dutch Fork. Last season, he helped lead the Silver Foxes to an undefeated season (13-0; six shutouts) and their third straight state championship on the strength of 44 tackles (13 tackles for loss) and 9.5 sacks.
Walker is the son of a South Carolina assistant strength coach, and most presumed he would be a Gamecock. While he could theoretically still end up in Columbia, his father has made it very clear that this is his son’s decision, and after bonding with fellow commits Carter Meadows and Titan Davis last month, Walker’s decision was Ann Arbor.
Measurables
He is listed at 6-foot-6, 252 pounds, and carries the weight exceptionally well. Similar to Blade and Davis, Walker has the positional versatility to play across the defensive line, but despite his height, his home appears to be on the edge. More on that later.
In terms of speed, there are no confirmed times online, but this kid can RUN. Frequently, he can be seen on tape chasing down evasive quarterbacks or working his way down the line of scrimmage from the backside.
High School Scouting
TL;DR: Walker is a high-motor pass rusher who is waiting to unleash his potential.
Comparison: Overthinking Mykel Williams with an elite counterpunch
Walker is a heady player whose thinking tends to be his greatest strength and weakness. As a strength, he is always aware of where the play is developing and is relentless in his pursuit of making an impact. Whether that be as a pass rusher, run-stopper, backside defender, or just getting his hands up to bat down a ball (which he does frequently), there is rarely a play where his presence isn’t felt.
As a weakness, Walker is usually a step behind coming off the line of scrimmage as he diagnoses the play in front of him. He can get away with it at the high school level, but he will have to play more instinctively and aggressively to prevent putting a governor on his pass-rushing engine in college.
One of the reasons Walker can get away with playing a step slow right now is because he possesses a DEEP bag of counter pass rushing moves. Despite being a slow starter, he reacts in a flash to what opposing offensive linemen are trying to accomplish. It’s almost like he cannot get into what he wants to do until a lineman shows their hand. Once a lineman declares, Walker unleashes a surprising combination of strength and agility to defeat blockers and make a play.
Primarily rushing from a three-point stance, Walker could see the same benefit as Aidan Hutchinson by standing up more on the edge. A two-point stance will allow him to see more of a formation pre-snap and help accelerate his processing post-snap. Furthermore, a two-point stance will help Walker overcome some flexibility limitations until he can get into hot yoga at Michigan.
Naturally, Walker has a long way to go technically, as do most 17-year-olds not named Titan Davis. But Walker’s raw athletic profile, length, motor and counter moves make him a fascinating prospect with a vaulted ceiling. I’m sure some Taco Charlton comparisons will emerge around Walker because of his size, but his energy and consistency far exceed anything in Charlton’s game.
If Walker can play more aggressively on the front foot as he does as a slick counterpuncher on the back foot, he will vault up the recruiting ranks before leaving high school.
Expectations at Michigan
Walker is an exciting prospect who will probably need a year or two to properly develop at Michigan. But this doesn’t mean he is going to be on the sidelines sipping Gatorade. Simply put, he just needs reps to refine his technique, and his IQ and physical traits will afford him playing-time opportunities to expedite his development. It may take time before he is a fully formed player, but once he arrives, Walker possesses everything needed to be a constant force on the edge in the Big Ten.