‘23 NC EDGE Rico Walker (Maryland commit)

[Type Orange+]

Garner is recruiting him

 

[Devo182]

had anyone called jean mary's recruiting ability into question? dont usually heat his name. seems we struggle here.

Thought this staff recruited regionally, not by position. Idk

 

[LittleVol]

Thought this staff recruited regionally, not by position. Idk

Yes. You are correct. Most staffs do.

 

[Devo182]

Vol.

 

[BelieveTheHeup93]

If the staff can land him and Bradley what are the chances he plays as a LB since Rojas seems to be headed elsewhere. He seems like a good enough athlete to play the Will

 

[bigl3327]

If the staff can land him and Bradley what are the chances he plays as a LB since Rojas seems to be headed elsewhere. He seems like a good enough athlete to play the Will

I've watched his film. I don't think he has the sideline to sideline agility and speed to play ILB in today's game. The better plan would be to take more of the safeties that we are in on and convert the bigger ones to inside backers.

 

[LittleVol]

I've watched his film. I don't think he has the sideline to sideline agility and speed to play ILB in today's game. The better plan would be to take more of the safeties that we are in on and convert the bigger ones to inside backers.

Good general strategy. Or a bigger RB.

Honestly I wish they would play Tank McCullough there. Beside Banks.
Gain about 10 lbs over the summer and play at 220

 

[Ttucke11]

Walker isn't playing inside. He has a better chance of ending up with his hand in the dirt permanently. Big frame.

 

[volbeast33]

I've watched his film. I don't think he has the sideline to sideline agility and speed to play ILB in today's game. The better plan would be to take more of the safeties that we are in on and convert the bigger ones to inside backers.

I have no inside info but I think that is what we are trying to morph our defense into…. Playing positionless defense behind the line…. Hybrids everywhere S/CB and S/LB

 

[VolByLaw]

An article surfaced on Thursday about Rico Walker that didn’t mention Tennessee. Mike Ekeler was by there on Thursday after Rodney Garner visited last week. Tennessee is very much a player in that one. He is planning on being back on Memorial Day weekend.

-VQ

 

[LowKey]

-VQ

Check that writer's credentials!

 

[Maxwell865]

One of Tennessee's assistant coaches was in North Carolina on Thursday to check on a highly ranked edge rusher who has visited the Vols a few times within the past year. Mike Ekeler, Tennessee's outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, traveled to Hickory (N.C.) High School, the home of four-star Class of 2023 edge rusher Rico Walker, according to Hickory coach Joe Glass.

The 6-foot-3, 233-pound Walker, who's a Top247 prospect in 247Sports' rankings, received a scholarship offer from Tennessee almost a year ago and has visited the Vols four times since late July. He went to two of their home games during the 2021 season and most recently returned to Knoxville on April 9 for their second spring scrimmage, which effectively served as a replacement for Tennessee's spring-ending Orange and White Game due to ongoing renovations inside Neyland Stadium.

Walker has received offers from more than 20 schools, including Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina, N.C. State, Penn State, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He's ranked the No. 160 overall prospect and No. 13 edge rusher in the 2023 class and the No. 2 junior from the state of North Carolina, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

The lone prediction points to home-state school North Carolina as the favorite to land Walker.

After visiting Tennessee in September to attend his first game at Neyland Stadium, he told GoVols247 that he "liked everything" he saw there.

“I liked the atmosphere, fan base,” Walker said at the time. “I like the culture that they’re starting to bring, so I liked a lot of things.”

Following his first visit to Tennessee in late July, Walker said Vols defensive line coach Rodney Garner was "like family to me." Walker's father, Ricardo Walker, is a former Auburn defensive tackle, and Garner was an assistant coach for the Tigers during his father's time at Auburn.

"He recruited my dad back in the ‘90s, so that was sort of a family reunion right there. It felt good," Walker said after his first visit to Tennessee. "But I was comfortable there.”

-Callahan

 

[Smokey Pride]

Please please can we land a couple great linebackers

 

[Ericvol2096]

This guys name just screams Tennessee linebacker.

 

[volinbama256]

Need LB's, go all in...

 

[BelieveTheHeup93]

Need LB's, go all in...

Does he project as an LB or edge rusher? Because I agree, our LB recruiting has been atrocious so far. Unless they’re planning on giving the top 2 JUCO LBs 500k a piece we’re going to have serious problems on defense next year

 

[KnoxToTheBoro93]

Y’all hate banks but if he played in the 90s like the all time greats we had he wouldn’t be known as dirty… banks just plays very hard and is a true dog on the field you are gonna get an occasional 15 yard penalty in todays game when you play With that demeanor he improved in that area as the season went on and I think he will have an excellent year for us in year 2…

 

[Carp]

Take any and all prospects named Rico.

 

[T Dog]

Take any and all prospects named Rico.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Take any and all prospects named Rico.

 

[cncchris33]

Random fun fact: Gerardo now lives in the small town in northeastern KY where I live and is a pastor of a church. Good guy, actually.

 

[UTMVol76]

View attachment 454355

Sign him up! I hear he can throw a football over a mountain.

 

[wmcovol]

Y’all hate banks but if he played in the 90s like the all time greats we had he wouldn’t be known as dirty… banks just plays very hard and is a true dog on the field you are gonna get an occasional 15 yard penalty in todays game when you play With that demeanor he improved in that area as the season went on and I think he will have an excellent year for us in year 2…

This Volfan dont hate Banks. I wish we had about 10 others like him.....

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Y’all hate banks but if he played in the 90s like the all time greats we had he wouldn’t be known as dirty… banks just plays very hard and is a true dog on the field you are gonna get an occasional 15 yard penalty in todays game when you play With that demeanor he improved in that area as the season went on and I think he will have an excellent year for us in year 2…

While I like Banks play and he has improved penalty wise. The Al Wilson’s and Raynoch Thompson’s were much more disciplined players. Neither of them had near the totally undisciplined silly penalties he had his first 2 years. But I agree he is getting better at not making those. But there is a difference between a aggressive play and a senseless one, and Wilson,Westmoreland and Thompson were aggressive and smart. It may have helped Banks quicker had he played with them, but the penalties of his earlier years were undisciplined and not like the linebackers of the former players mentioned. The were more consist from the get go. Players are going to make a penalty, just don’t make senseless ones. GBO!

 

[T Dog]

Random fun fact: Gerardo now lives in the small town in northeastern KY where I live and is a pastor of a church. Good guy, actually.

Truly is a small world.