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Kenyatta Walker

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1979)}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Kenyatta Walker

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| number = 67

| position = Offensive tackle

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|2|1|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lbs = 302

| high_school = Meridian

| college = Florida (1997–2000)

| draftyear = 2001

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 14

| pastteams =

| highlights =

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 75

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 73

| pfr = WalkKe21

}}

Idrees Kenyatta Walker (born February 1, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. Walker played college football for the University of Florida. A first-round pick in the 2001 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

Early life

Walker was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1979.{{Cite web |title=Kenyatta Walker Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WalkKe21.htm |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He attended Meridian High School,databaseFootball.com, Players, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110528154703/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WALKEKEN02 Kenyatta Walker]}}. Retrieved March 19, 2011. where he was a standout high school football player for the Meridian Wildcats.GatorZone.com, Football History, 2000 Roster, [http://web.gatorzone.com/football/bios.php?year=2000&bio=walker_k.html Kenyatta Walker] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902024245/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/bios.php?year=2000&bio=walker_k.html |date=September 2, 2011 }}. Retrieved March 19, 2011. As a senior in 1996, Walker was an all-state selection and received high school All-American honors from PrepStar and USA Today.

College career

Walker accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and played on the offensive line for coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators football team from 1998 to 2000,[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035222/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf |date=April 2, 2012 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 89, 97, 99, 102, 186 (2011). Retrieved August 31, 2011. after redshirting in 1997. Walker was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in 1999 and received first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American honors in 2000, winning the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy as a junior in 2000. After his junior season, Walker decided to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and enter the NFL draft.

After his NFL career ended, Walker returned to Gainesville to complete his degree, graduating from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2007.

= Awards and honors =

Professional career

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose Walker in the first round (fourteenth pick overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft,Pro Football Hall of Fame, Draft History, [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?story_id=2038 2001 National Football League Draft] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122533/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?story_id=2038 |date=September 24, 2015 }}. Retrieved March 19, 2011. and he played for the Buccaneers for six seasons from {{NFL Year|2001}} to {{NFL Year|2006}}.National Football League, Historical Players, [http://www.nfl.com/players/kenyattawalker/profile?id=WAL195657 Kenyatta Walker]. Retrieved March 19, 2011.{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was originally slated to play left tackle and protect the quarterback's blindside. However, after his rookie season he was switched to right tackle, where he found success starting for the Buccaneer's Super Bowl XXXVII victory over the Oakland Raiders. After starting in seventy-three of the seventy-five games in which he played, the Buccaneers released Walker on March 1, 2007.

On August 13, 2007, the Carolina Panthers signed Walker as a free agent. He was released by the team on September 1 during final cuts. On September 8, 2008, Walker was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and was assigned to their practice roster.

See also

{{Portal|American football|Biography|College football}}

References

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

Bibliography

  • Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). {{ISBN|0-7948-2298-3}}.
  • Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). {{ISBN|0-9650782-1-3}}.
  • Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). {{ISBN|1-58261-514-4}}.
  • McCarthy, Kevin M., [https://books.google.com/books?id=_Tk-IQepI6cC Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football], Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). {{ISBN|978-0-7385-0559-6}}.

{{2001 NFL Draft}}

{{BuccaneersFirstPick}}

{{Buccaneers2001DraftPicks}}

{{Super Bowl XXXVII}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Kenyatta}}

Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football offensive tackles

Category:Carolina Panthers players

Category:Florida Gators football players

Category:Players of American football from Meridian, Mississippi

Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players

Category:Toronto Argonauts players