The Class of 2022 lineman from Cass Technical High School in Detroit said "it felt great" when he found out about his offer from Tennessee during a conversation Wednesday with new Vols defensive coordinator
Tim Banks, a Detroit native. Tennessee became the eighth SEC school to extend an offer to Walker, who holds offers from at least 25 schools in all.
"We were talking for some time," Walker said of Banks, "so I kinda felt it coming."
The 6-foot-7, 330-pound Walker said Banks didn't explain exactly what convinced the Vols to join the race for him, but Banks "said they liked me on both sides of the ball." Walker said at least a few teams are recruiting him as an offensive lineman.
"Kentucky, Mizzou and some other schools want me as (an offensive lineman)," said Walker, who's ranked the No. 491 overall prospect and No. 38 defensive tackle in the 2022 class and the No. 15 junior from the state of Michigan, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. "I don’t have a preference."
Walker said he doesn't know "that much" about Tennessee at this point, so it's too early for him to say whether he's likely to give the Vols strong consideration.
"I didn’t really look into them that much yet," he said. "I don’t know that much about them."
But he has been to East Tennessee before. He traveled to Gatlinburg, Tenn., last month to participate in the Big Man Battle that coincided with the Rocky Top 7v7 Classic at Rocky Top Sports World.
Walker said he knew Banks "a little bit" during his previous stint at Penn State, although the Nittany Lions didn't offer him until a little more than a week ago. Because of Banks' deep ties in the Detroit area, he has at least one connection with someone close to Walker.
"He knows my head coach well," Walker said of Banks.
