HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 193

HAND: 9⅛"

ARM: 33¼"

WINGSPAN: 79⅛"

40-YARD DASH: 4.36

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 40.5"

BROAD: 11'2"

POSITIVES

— Elite acceleration and top speed. Instant high-impact deep threat.

— Very good lateral explosion.

— Good YAC skills centered around speed and explosiveness.

— Above-average ball skills and hands. Can catch outside his frame and adjust to the ball in the air.

NEGATIVES

— Below-average ability to win at the line of scrimmage and combat press coverage.

— Inconsistent route-runner. Too often takes extra steps and struggles to gather himself comfortably.

— Below-average ability to finish on catch opportunities through contact.

2023 STATISTICS

— 8 G, 41 REC, 699 YDS (17.0 AVG), 7 TD; 3 ATT, 23 YDS (7.7 AVG), 0 TD

NOTES

— Born June 19, 2001

— 3-star recruit in NC Central's 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred to Kent State later in 2020, transferred to UNC in 2023

— Two-year starter (one at Kent State, one at UNC)

— 2022 first-team All-MAC

OVERALL

Devontez Walker is the premier speed threat in this draft class.

Walker is a weapon on the vertical route tree. He burns rubber getting out of his stance and accelerates to top speed almost instantly. Once Walker earns even a half-step on his opponent, it is almost guaranteed that he will widen that gap with every stride. Simple go balls are the easiest way to unlock Walker's speed, but he also fares well on posts, slot fades and deep over routes.

Walker also shows some real pop in space. He's not as smooth and coordinated of a mover as he looks, but he can make people miss when he plants his foot and explodes the other way. Walker's blend of speed and burst make him a threat to house one every time he touches the ball.

As for Walker's catching ability, it's a mixed bag. Walker excels at tracking the ball over his shoulder and understands how to adjust to throws in the air. He also flashes the ability to catch outside his frame comfortably. Walker isn't necessarily a jump-ball winner, though, and he often struggles to hang onto catches through contact.

Walker also needs to clean up his route-running skills. You see flashes of Jaylen Waddle-esque bend and explosion, but the consistency and attention to detail is lacking. Walker too often takes extra steps at the top of routes. He struggles to gather himself, sink and explode in one smooth motion. For now, that limits his route tree to routes where he can mostly just stride out.

The scope of Walker's skill set is a bit narrow right now, but he is an elite deep threat with a solid frame. Speed will always play in the NFL. Walker can be a dangerous field-stretching Z right away with the hopes he can develop into something a little more well-rounded.

GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 103

POSITION RANK: WR20

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Wallace

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

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