Deone Walker, 4-star defensive lineman, signs with Kentucky

The most important uncommitted Kentucky target gave the Wildcat coaching staff some great news on Wednesday morning: Deone Walker has signed on the dotted line and will make Lexington his new home.

A behemoth of a defensive lineman, clocking in at 6-foot-6, 360 pounds, Walker is a four-star recruit, according to the On3 Consensus. He’s considered a top 300 prospect in the country and a top 35 defensive lineman. The Detroit native is also ranked as one of the five best high school seniors from the state of Michigan.

See you in LEX💤@UKFootball @UKCoachStoops
#commited #2EZ
Rip smitt🙏🏾
Rip sassie🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/dZbaHvTRUS

— 51 (@deonewalker51) December 15, 2021

Kentucky was able to nab Walker and keep him away from the hometown Michigan Wolverines, which was right there with the ‘Cats until the very end. Georgia was also in the mix and Alabama had even entered the race at one point before trailing off.

Michigan and assistant coach Steve Clinkscale (who recruited Walker when he was still an assistant on Kentucky’s staff in the spring) got the final pitch with an unofficial visit over the weekend, just a day after he took an official trip to check out Lexington. However, the relationship Walker developed with UK’s offensive line coach Eric Wolford and other assistants ultimately became too much to overcome. As a result, he’s now a ‘Cat.

Deone Walker is a huge pickup for Kentucky, both literally and figuratively. Fending off Michigan and Clinkscale, who really pushed hard for Walker down the stretch, is a massive recruiting win for UK. For him to be a four-star recruit from the state of Michigan is even more impressive.

Kentucky now has three defensive linemen on board for the class of 2022. Walker joins three-stars Quentel Jones and Tomiwa Durojaiye, both of whom are expected to sign their letters of intent later on Wednesday.