Jalon Walker was a do-it-all star for the Georgia defense in 2024. While the linebacker position has been ‘devalued’ in the NFL in recent years, Walker’s ability to wear many hats in the middle off a defense has him poised to be among the top players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jalon Walker scouting report
Background
College: Georgia
Rookie year age: 21
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 243
Awards: Butkus Award (2024), Third-Team All-American (2024), Second-Team All-SEC (2024)
Walker was ranked as the 26th overall player and third linebacker by 24/7 Sports in the Class of 2022. He was one of five five-star prospects to sign with Georgia that year along with fellow 2025 projected first round picks Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks.
Given Georgia’s depth defensively Walker played a rotational role his first two seasons, but saw enough time on the field that he did not end up redshirting. Last year he stepped into a starting role and handled multiple assignments for the Bulldogs both as an off-ball linebacker and as a pass rusher.
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Stats
| Season | Team | Class | Games | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | Pressure | PBUs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Georgia | FR | 15 | 9 | 2 | 1.0 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023 | Georgia | SO | 14 | 20 | 6 | 5.0 | 26 | 0 |
| 2024 | Georgia | SR | 14 | 60 | 11 | 6.5 | 34 | 2 |
| Career | 43 | 89 | 19 | 12.5 | 73 | 3 |
Strengths
-Major versatility. Can line up on the edge and off the ball. Over 150 snaps each as a run defender, pass rusher, and in coverage last year. True three-down player.
-Plays with great physicality, not afraid to set the tone
-Excellent athlete with plus power
-“His leadership is famous in the Georgia building” per NFL.com’s Lance Zerlein
Weaknesses
-Size might dictate usage more in the NFL. Good built for a linebacker but slightly undersized as an edge rusher.
-Just one year of full-time experience, and it shows. Football instincts will need to continue to improve
Video breakdown
Bottom line
Although the linebacker position as a whole has been devalued in the NFL in recent years, Jalon Walker checks all the boxes that teams look for at the position right now. He has the ceiling of a three-down defensive playmaker, and is an ideal fit for a team in the process of re-working its defense that can create a role specifically fit for him.