Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And right now, there’s quite a bit of smoke between the Carolina Panthers and 2025 NFL draft prospect Jalon Walker.
Longtime Carolina beat writer Joe Person covered the team’s perceived interest in the University of Georgia linebacker in a column for The Athletic on Wednesday. And according to Person, who was on hand to hear general manager Dan Morgan talk about Walker in his pre-draft presser earlier this week, many folks inside the league and out believe the Panthers are prepared to pounce on the Salisbury, N.C. native.
He writes:
But the sense in league circles — and among mock drafters — continues to be that the Panthers will take Walker if he’s available. And nothing Morgan said during his 20-minute presser threw cold water on the Walker-to-Carolina speculation.
Morgan, after refusing to disclose his opinion on Walker’s positional fit back at the scouting combine in February, gave us a little more insight on Tuesday.
“I mean, Jalon’s a good player,” Morgan told reporters. “I think for us, I guess I’ll talk on it now, he’s an outside linebacker for us that I feel like could do a lot in our defense. I think he’s definitely a great person, really good player and I think he’s got a bright future ahead.”
Walker, who played both off the edge and off the ball in 2024, has been the most popular projection for the Panthers and this year’s eighth overall pick. The 6-foot-1, 243-pounder led the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks this past season, and was named a first-team All-American and the Butkus Award winner.
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