Early draft buzz for Deone Walker is starting right now

The 2024 NFL Draft ended on Saturday evening in Detroit. The weekend wrapped up with Kentucky producing four draft picks. The Wildcats are now up to 24 picks in the Mark Stoops era. However, the first-round drought for the program is now reached three seasons after Jamin Davis went No. 19 overall to the Washington Football Team in the 2021 NFL Draft.

That drought should end at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.

Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Waker is set to become the program’s next three-and-done product. The former four-star recruit could become the program’s first top-10 pick since Josh Allen. PFF has released a big board ranking for 2025. Walker is near the top of the list.

1. James Pearce Jr. (EDGE, Tennessee)
2. Mason Graham (iDL, Michigan)
3. Will Campbell (T, LSU)
4. Will Johnson (CB, Michigan)
5. Deone Walker (iDL, Kentucky)
6. Kelvin Banks Jr. (T, Texas)
7. Luther Burden III (WR, Missouri)
8. Benjamin Morrison (CB, Notre Dame)
9. Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)
10. Travis Hunter (CB, Colorado)
11. Carson Beck (QB, Georgia)
12. Nic Scourton (EDGE, Texas A&M)
13. Shedeur Sanders (QB, Colorado)
14. Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
15. Tacario Davis (CB, Arizona)
16. Colston Loveland (TE, Michigan)
17. Harold Perkins (LB, LSU)
18. Abdul Carter (LB, Penn State)
19. Emeka Egbuka (WR, Ohio State)
20. Jack Sawyer (EDGE, Ohio State)
21. Ollie Gordon II (RB, Oklahoma State)
22. Kelvin Winston Jr. (S, Penn State)
23. JT Tuimoloau (EDGE, Ohio State)
24. Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
25. Jabbar Muhammad (CB, Oregon)

As a sophomore, Deon Walker was Kentucky’s best pass rusher (51 pressures). The Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech product brings great size (6-6, 348) and has produced at a high level through two years in the SEC. Walker has 25 starts in 26 career games, owns 17 career tackles for loss, and has logged a high snap count (1,263) through two seasons.

The Kentucky product brings rare positional versatility at his size. Deone Walker is a legit three-down player who NFL organizations will likely fall in love with during the pre-draft process next year. The defensive tackle seems like a lock to be a first-round pick.

Deone Walker has one more season to play at Kentucky, but the first-team All-SEC player in 2023 has a pro football future and a big payday coming his way next April. Enjoy him while he’s still wearing the blue and white in 2024.