Charles Walker, DL, Oklahoma: 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Charles Walker knows he took a huge gamble to prepare early for the 2017 NFL draft. Does he have the skill set to make it pay off?

Position: DL

School: Oklahoma

Year: RS Junior

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 299 lbs

STRENGTHS:

• Versatile for his size. Shows that he’s capable of lining up at both defensive end and defensive tackle as is effective at running stunts to help create pressure.
• Has a solid drive and lower body strength. He can accelerate well which is why he tends to be the one who gets pressure on the QB during longer pass plays.
• Able to make himself small and showcases the quickness to shoot gaps in pass rush situations. Can create heat up the middle on the quarterback.

It’s plays like this that will get teams excited about the possibilities with Walker. When he gets a good burst off the snap his acceleration enables him to shoot gaps on passing downs. That lower body strength splits the blockers before they can stop him and he creates instant heat on the quarterback. That is textbook for a three-technique defensive tackle in the NFL.

• Adept at crashing down the line of scrimmage, making it difficult to run stretch or toss run plays against him as he’s good at finding a lane into the backfield.
• Shows a good feel of where the ball is going on run plays and gets himself into the gap to create obstruction. Uses his size and natural strength well in that regard.

WEAKNESSES:

• Somewhat undersized and overweight for the defensive end position in either a 4-3 or 3-4. Best position may be as a defensive tackle in a 4-3.
• Needs to get better use out of his hands in order to shed blocks. Remains inconsistent in this area and it often allows blockers to wall him off from plays.
• Motor has a bad tendency to run hot and cold. If he feels he’s not involved in a play he can often just stop and let it play out. Not a lot of urgency.

This sort of sequence is not a good look, especially in the eyes of coaches. Walker does a poor job in the first play of trying to create any sort of pressure on the pocket. He sort of just resigns himself to the fact he’s being double-teamed. On the next play he clearly drops to half speed on a rollout pass he was very much in position to make a play on. That kind of lackadaisical effort is what drives evalutors crazy. They don’t like players who won’t give it their all.

• Slow off the snap. Often one of the last lineman to get off. This is often a big reason why he’s unable to generate a pass rush.
• Rendered absolutely powerless whenever double-teamed. Just doesn’t have the burst or polished technique to deal with those situations.
• Made the controversial decision to end his season with the Sooners early in order to prepare for the draft. Won’t be a good look in the eyes of some teams.

Pro Comparison:  Clinton McDonald

McDonald has carved out a decent career in the NFL has a steady starter at defensive tackle. He doesn’t do anything great but he’s at least good for the occasional sacks during a season and isn’t overpowered too often in the ground game. He’s often at his best when used in a rotational role that keeps him fresh. Walker fits the same body type, skill set and motor.

Projection:  4th to 5th rounds

Walker has enough physical ability to where there is a definite chance he could become an effective starter in the NFL. He needs to develop much better use of his hands and improve his snap anticipation. At this point he’s just not enough of an impact guy to warrant higher draft position. Some team will take him in the middle rounds and see if they can coax that ability out of him.