The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waited until Day 3, but they’ve added another edge rusher to a strong room.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Central Arkansas edge rusher David Walker with pick No. 121. Walker joins an edge-rushing room alongside newly-acquired free agent Haason Reddick, Yaya Diaby, Chris Braswell and Anthony Nelson, among others.
Walker’s production, while at an FCS school, is impressive — he had 68 tackles, 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one of college’s highest pass rush win rates. After an impressive Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, the Buccaneers add him to a pass-rushing room that could use some strong rotation.
Here’s what BucsGameday writer JC Allen had to say about Walker in his pre-draft scouting report:
“Walker is undersized but explosive and lives in the backfield. He’s a strong run defender, displays aggressive hand usage, an array of pass rush moves and a detailed rush plan. However, limited length will affect his ability to shed blockers in the run game and when wrapping up for the tackle. He’ll get impatient with his hand placement and a lack of true competition at the FBS level leaves questions about how he will perform against NFL-caliber players.”
After going offense with their first pick of the draft in Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka, the Buccaneers have gone defense every pick since and are gearing up to give Todd Bowles more weapons to play with on his side of the ball.