Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Jalon Walker is impressing early on in OTA. Walker, the 15th overall pick out of Georgia, arrived at camp with high expectations and a reputation for his explosive first step and relentless motor. In just a few OTA sessions, he’s already begun to validate the buzz. Coaches and teammates alike have taken notice of his work ethic, football IQ, and ability to disrupt plays even without pads on.
In an article by Terrin Waack, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich describes how he wants to use Walker in the defense.
“On first and second down, I want, especially Jalon, to have an opportunity to just master playing on the edge because I think that there’s something there that’s special,” Ulbrich said during the draft. “Allow him just to have one home initially and become as good as he can at that. Then, from a third-down perspective, we can get creative with him, and that’ll be part of his superpower.”
Walker at OTA
During team drills, Walker has consistently found himself in the backfield, flashing the same burst that made him one of the SEC’s most productive pass rushing  defenders last season. On multiple occasions, he’s drawn attention for his ability to shoot gaps and create pressure something that’s not easy to do against seasoned offensive linemen, even in non-contact drills.
“He knows how to practice at a very high level,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. “He wants to get better and better every single day, and he seems like he does. He’s an instant coach. … You just tell him something, and he does it the first time every single time. He goes out and can get that stuff done.
Walker Fast Learner
While it’s still early in the process, Walker’s strong start at OTAs is an encouraging sign for a team hoping to infuse youth and energy into its defensive front. The next steps are minicamp and training camp which will provide more definitive evaluations, but for now, Walker is doing exactly what rookies are supposed to do which is turn heads, stay humble, and earn respect one rep at a time.
“He goes out and is able to get that stuff done,” Morris said. “So that stuff has been amazing with him. I look forward, really, with all those guys, but particularly him. He’s very easy to coach.”
Walker only knows one speed as he continues to play at full speed throughout OTA.
“Nobody wants to see one guy going full speed, one guy kind of going at the correct tempo and not looking how you’re supposed to want to look. So, it’s finding a happy medium for all those guys to figure out how we practice, how we move, how we do our things, and how we go about our business,” said Morris.
The Falcons will look for Walker to add some young production to a weak pass rush. If Walker can add to the pass rush it will be a good season for the Falcons.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Atlanta Falcons Jalon Waker ‘He Is an Instant Coach’ appeared first on Heavy Sports.