David Walker, The Pride Of Stuttgart
May 4th, 2025
Joe highly recommends the video below from KLRT-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas.
It’s a heartwarming look into Buccaneers fourth-round draft pick David Walker, the edge rusher who ignited the Bucs’ draft war room like Joe is when the Hooters Buffalo Shrimp arrive.
Literally, Bucs officials were jacked up to add Walker at the No. 121 overall pick.
Walker is old for a rookie; he turns 25 in June (more than a year older than Chris Braswell) and the team believes he can contribute quickly after a very impressive college career, albeit at Central Arkansas University.
Few if any NFL players come from small-town Stuttgart, Arkansas. In the video below, you’ll see Walker on draft night in his hometown, where duck hunting and a world championship duck calling contest is an annual competition.
It’s easy for Joe to root for Walker, a small-school guy with a short but powerful frame, a guy who worked his way up from the Division II ranks.
And as much as the Bucs are yearning for edge rush help, Walker will get every opportunity to shine.
May 4th, 2025 at 7:43 pm
Joe, don’t you think it’s about time we draft a pass rusher that contributes immediately? This Walker kid, I predict will be that guy. Six sacks this year, that should do it.
May 4th, 2025 at 7:44 pm
he sure seems composed
May 4th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
A great story about a good kid. Coming from a small school he will overwhelmed with info. Let’s see how fast he can learn.
May 4th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
870 Baby! Good people right there.
May 4th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Rookies report Thursday
May 4th, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Aaron Donald 6’1 284….David Walker 6″1 265
May 4th, 2025 at 11:44 pm
I still remember when Joe stormed off of the Ira podcast over his argument of how important a DE was.
He sure changed his tune once the Bucs drafted EE.
Weird how that happens…..
Weird how you have selective listening. Joe first wrote about Egbuka in February and then a few times in March (archives are here). That podcast episode was how many years ago? The Bucs addressed edge rusher in free agency, with the guy Joe was screaming to acquire a full year prior.–Joe
May 4th, 2025 at 11:46 pm
I like him but I just hate that he’s already 25.
May 5th, 2025 at 12:29 am
old…but not too old to mold
May 5th, 2025 at 5:17 am
Ducks… Wow! Now how do I make cool nickname with ducks and Stutgart? Quack attack? Stutgart Stud? Honk! Honk! Honk! says the crowd at Ray Jay!
Seriously Joe. Good stuff! Good luck and welcome aboard Mr Walker! Enough with the old stuff. Dare you to call Vea, Evans or Mayfiield old. LOL
Go Bucs!
May 5th, 2025 at 5:49 am
Last year we draft a stud Ducks RB, a duck gets national attention on our field, we draft a duck sized Ducks WR, now we draft a guy from duck calling championship town, WHAT THE DUCK IS GOING ON?
May 5th, 2025 at 6:42 am
To the earlier comment, 25 isn’t too old. If we get 5 years from him that is better than most draft picks and would out him close to slowing down or retiring. No one can play forever!!
I like the story, this was great. I think he will be a good addition.
May 5th, 2025 at 7:32 am
I agree, Don’t like that he is 25. There are not many drafted players at 25 went on to become dominat players in the NFL. I think they there is not much room for growth at that age.
May 5th, 2025 at 7:32 am
@First Last
Of course nobody can play forever but some players have been retiring earlier & earlier recently, too!
May 5th, 2025 at 7:41 am
jts played this past season at 25 with a few years under his belt, how did that work out? walker being 25 not sure what the problem is, what matters is if hes good or not
May 5th, 2025 at 8:39 am
This is my guy from this draft. Very exciting
May 5th, 2025 at 11:01 am
25 years old = polished pass rusher And it so happens that is exactly what the talking heads kept saying about him . I predict he will produce sacks early. His hand work is excellent and he has a knack for getting under O-linemen pads and getting leverage on them . I look forward to him using the spin move. Many said Dwight Freeney was too short or too undersized. Walker actually reminds me of Dwight Freeney.Great get in the 4th . As always Go Bucs
May 5th, 2025 at 11:06 am
At 25 he has 4-5 years of stupid sh!t behind him. He knows he’s on a very short leach. Produce now or goodbye. Not like having JTS take up valuable space on the field and roster and waiting (and waiting) for him to do something. That was my biggest bitch about the Bucs- -keeping an ineffective player FOR YEARS!
May 5th, 2025 at 11:12 am
I hope this draft turns out as good as the last! And I hope DW plays a huge role in that. Time will tell! I’m hopeful!
May 5th, 2025 at 11:16 am
I do like the strategy of picking edge guys in the later rounds. Let’s face it he has to be more productive than JTS et al.
May 5th, 2025 at 11:25 am
@PewterStiffArm…it’s a catch 22… the worse we are as team, the better the draft spot to grab that plug and play DE/OLB you wish for…oh and btw, you hope that it’s a good year for DE/OLBs. There isn’t always a Bosa in every draft class, or Aaron Donald, or Suh. There’s generational talent that pops up every so often that is immediate game changer to a team. It’s rare to find Crosby slipping to the 4th round, who I believe he had some baggage prior to the draft.
I don’t know what to think about Walker. I like guys with size, there’s a cardinal rule when it comes to sports athletes, you can teach the moves, you can’t teach size. Almost in any sport, physical attributes tend to win over production for scouts/teams simply because if the size and athleticism is there, you can teach the rest. Also, the last thing to go with a fading player is size vs the bag of tricks smaller DEs/OLBs require. For instance, Shaq, who is a smaller pass rusher, well once he got injured and a year older, production became more difficult, huge drop off.
For those that point to shorter players such as Reddick, Ngakoue, Elvis Dumervil, these are typically the exception to the norm. The norm? Jose Rameriz, Marquees Watts. I hope we snagged another version of Shaq Barrett. We will see.
May 5th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Joe you will soon learn to ignore the children in this comments section.
I sure love how God is mentioned by every single player we draft. It’s almost like a faith in Him makes a better man in the raising. I am so proud of this team drafting talented men of God, it makes this next season and this team so much more than just football.