NFL Draft Profile: Michigan Football DB Wesley Walker

With over 2,500 snaps under his belt, Michigan DB Wesley Walker hopes to bring six college football seasons of experience and a high floor to the NFL level. All he needs is a team to take a chance on the Tennessee native:

Michigan Wolverines defensive back Wesley Walker is not getting enough coverage among NFL Draft media circles.

A former three-star from Tennessee as a member of the 2019 recruiting cycle, Walker has played more than 2,500 snaps in six college football seasons, and he has shown steady improvement throughout his career with Georgia Tech , Tennessee and Michigan. Walker has combined for 216 tackles, starting 30 games and playing in 57. He is a dark-horse candidate for the seventh round, or he could be a coveted undrafted free agent.

Quick Facts

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 195 pounds

Arm Length: 31”

Hand Length: 8’’

Draft Day Age: 23 years old

Career stats: 57 games (30 starts), 216 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, 13 passes defended

Strengths

• High-floor veteran who excels on the margins.
• Excels as a blitzer and weapon off the edge.
• Good body control and change of direction in space.
• Very disciplined as a player as he has not been called for a penalty since 2021.
• Perfect stop-gap player that relies on fundamentals to read plays.

Weaknesses

• Injuries plagued the 2023 season that could bring pause about health.
• Lacks the imposing physicality to make consistent tackles.
• Needs to be more consistent in the open field, improving his acceleration, closing speed, and finishing ability.
• Open-field overruns lead to missed arm tackles in space.
• Needs to improve in pass coverage as a whole.

Summary

Walker is not the fastest player on the field, but he has always played with a high floor due to his strong fundamentals. Going from a unique scheme at Tennessee in 2023 to an NFL scheme at Michigan this past season with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, there were questions going into 2024 surrounding Walker’s adaptability and his progression into a true NFL safety. He answered those questions in his — albeit limited — time on the field.

In his six seasons, Walker showcased a well-seasoned presence in pass coverage who is rarely out of position. He is a little scheme-dependent — playing him in too much Cover 2, Cover 1, or Cover 0 may be asking too much — but his IQ and experience mitigate most athletic limitations.

Walker has always played in many different scenarios, and he has even had to overcome injury adversity. From playing out of position at Georgia Tech to emerging as one of the top safeties in the SEC entering last season at Tennessee to stepping in for Rod Moore when he went down with a season-ending ACL tear before the 2024 season began, growth has been a part of Walker’s journey every step of the way.

Nonetheless, his strong ability as a blitzer, and his durability and reliability as a player who has not committed a penalty since 2021, Walker has put everything he can on tape for NFL teams to scout.

If there is one glaring issue with Walker’s profile, he does have an injury history. Walker suffered a late-season injury in 2023 with the Volunteers that forced him to miss the final few games and prevented him from going to the NFL last offseason. This caused him to return to college for his sixth and final season of eligibility instead. However, Walker proved to be durable in 2024, appearing in 11 games with five starts, making 32 tackles, two pass breakups and one interception.

Because of Walker’s age and playing a reserved role in 2024, he will likely go undrafted and have his choice of teams as a UDFA. But as history shows, it may create a good opportunity for the Tennessee native to go to an NFL team that could find a use for him at the next level.