Michael Walker (American football)

Walker grew up in Naples, Florida and attended Naples High School, where he was a member of the baseball, football, and track teams.{{cite web|url=http://archive.naplesnews.com/sports/michael-walker-of-naples-high-school-wins-winged-foot-scholar-athlete-award-ep-1093875301-337971931.html|title=Michael Walker of Naples High School wins Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete award|work=Naples Daily News|date=May 22, 2015|access-date=December 16, 2019}} Walker passed for 613 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 907 yards and 21 touchdowns as the starting quarterback for the Golden Eagles during his senior year while also catching four passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns and returning two kicks for touchdowns and was named the Offensive Player of the Year by the Naples Daily News and the Southwest Florida Male Athlete of the Year by The News-Press.{{cite web|url=https://usatodayhss.com/2015/allarea-football-offense|title=All-Area Football Offense|website=USATodayHSS.com|date=January 3, 2015|access-date=December 16, 2019}} Walker committed to play college football at Boston College over offers from Arizona, Arkansas State, Florida International, and UCF.

Walker played four seasons for the Boston College Eagles. He was listed as a defensive back as a freshman, but primarily served as a kick returner while occasionally lining up as a receiver and finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 686 kickoff return yards and set the school record with 28.8 yards per return while catching two passes for 41 yards and rushing once for 14 yards and was named a Freshman All-American by Sporting News.{{cite web|url=https://www.news-press.com/story/sports/college/football/2016/10/31/naples-grad-michael-walker-making-plays-boston-college/92839722/|title=Naples grad Michael Walker making plays with Boston College|first=Cory|last=Mull|work=The News-Press|date=October 31, 2016|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Walker became the Eagles slot receiver going into his sophomore year and posted career highs with 33 receptions, 420 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns while returning six kicks for 101 yards and one punt for eight yards.{{cite web|url=https://www.bcinterruption.com/2017/5/30/15710602/better-know-an-eagle-2017-3-wide-receiver-michael-walker-boston-college-football|title=Better Know an Eagle 2017: #3 Wide Receiver Michael Walker|first=Colin|last=Leddy|website=BCInterruption.com|publisher=SB Nation|date=May 30, 2017|access-date=November 21, 2019}}

As a junior, Walker returned 36 kicks for 849 yards (23.6 average) and 27 punts for 354 yards (13.1 average, best in the ACC) while catching 19 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown and was named third-team All-ACC as a return specialist.{{cite web|url=http://studentunionsports.com/acc-football/student-union-cfb-preview-boston-college/cgoggin|title=Student Union CFB Preview: Boston College|first=Cody|last=Goggin|website=StudentUnionSports.com|date=July 25, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Walker was named second-team All-ACC and a consensus second-team All-American after being named by the Sporting News, the Football Writers Association of America and the Walter Camp Football Foundation as a senior after returning 40 kicks for 1,020 yards and 20 punts for 274 and a touchdown, while also catching 17 passes for 218 yards.{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2808882-bleacher-reports-2018-college-football-all-america-team#slide11|title=Bleacher Report's 2018 College Football All-America Team|first=Kerry|last=Miller|website=Bleacher Report|date=December 6, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Walker finished his collegiate career with 71 receptions for 847 yards and five touchdowns with 2,656 kick return yards and 636 punt return yards with one touchdown.{{cite web|url=https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/30/prospect-interview-qa-with-boston-college-wr-returner-michael-walker/|title=Prospect Interview: Q&A with Boston College WR/Returner Michael Walker|first=Andrew|last=DiCecco|website=Eagles Wire|publisher=USA Today|date=January 30, 2019|access-date=April 16, 2020}}

Walker signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.naplesnews.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/04/29/walker-signs-jags-same-day-brother-marries-kramers-daughter/3613783002/|title=Michael Walker signs with Jags hours after brother's wedding to Naples coach Bill Kramer's daughter|first=Aaron|last=Sodergren|work=Naples Daily News|date=April 28, 2019|access-date=November 3, 2019}} He was waived at the end of training camp as part of final roster cuts, but was signed to the team's practice squad on September 1, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/2019/08/31/jaguars-final-roster-cuts-2019-heres-who-has-been-released/|title=Jaguars final roster cuts 2019: Here's who has been released|first=James|last=Johnson|website=Jaguars Wire|publisher=USA Today|date=August 31, 2019|access-date=November 3, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2019/9/2/20845094/2019-nfl-practice-squad-jaguars-officially-sign-10-players|title=2019 NFL practice squad: Jaguars officially sign 10 players|first=Ryan|last=Day|website=BigCatCountry.com|publisher=SB Nation|date=September 2, 2019|access-date=November 3, 2019}} The Jaguars promoted Walker to the team's active roster on November 2, 2019.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/jaguars-promote-wr-michael-walker-to-active-roster-before-texans-game/|title=Jaguars Promote WR Michael Walker to Active Roster Before Texans Game|first=John|last=Shipley|magazine=SI.com|date=November 2, 2019|access-date=November 3, 2019}} Walker made his NFL debut the following day against the Houston Texans, returning two kicks and two punts.{{cite news |last1=Frenette |first1=Gene |title=Jaguars vs. Texans: The best and worst moments from Sunday's 26-3 loss to the Houston Texans |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/sports/20191103/jaguars-vs-texans-best-and-worst-moments-from-sundayrsquos-26-3-loss-to-houston-texans |access-date=December 16, 2019 |work=The Florida Times-Union |date=November 3, 2019}} He was placed on injured reserve on December 28, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/jaguars-michael-walker-placed-on-ir/|title=Jaguars' Michael Walker: Placed on IR|website=CBSSports.com|publisher=RotoWire|date=December 28, 2019|access-date=January 3, 2020}} Walker finished his rookie season with two receptions for 15 yards, 18 kicks returned for 411 yards and three punts for returned 13 yards, and two fumbles lost in seven games played.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/jaguars-week-17-rookie-report-2019-class-ends-season-on-a-high-note|title=Jaguars Week 17 Rookie Report: 2019 Class Ends Season on a High Note|first=Andrew|last=DiCecco|magazine=SI.com|date=January 1, 2020|access-date=January 3, 2020}}

Walker was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Jaguars on August 2, 2020,{{cite news |author=Oehser, John |title=Transactions: Minshew, four others added to reserve/COVID-19 list |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/transactions-minshew-four-others-added-to-reserve-covid-19-list |website=Jaguars.com |date=August 2, 2020 |access-date=August 2, 2020}} and was activated five days later.{{cite news |author=Oehser, John |title=Transactions: Jones, Walker moved to active roster |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/transactions-jones-walker-moved-to-active-roster |website=Jaguars.com |date=August 7, 2020 |access-date=August 7, 2020 |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809183043/https://www.jaguars.com/news/transactions-jones-walker-moved-to-active-roster |url-status=dead }} He was waived/injured on September 5, 2020,{{cite web|title=Roster Reduction: Jaguars move to 53 players|url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/roster-reduction-jaguars-move-to-53-players-x4699|author=Oehser, John|website=Jaguars.com|date=September 5, 2020}} and subsequently reverted to the team's injured reserve list the next day.{{cite news |title=Jaguars' Michael Walker: Back to IR |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/jaguars-michael-walker-back-to-ir/ |website=CBSSports.com |date=September 6, 2020 |access-date=September 14, 2020}} He was waived with an injury settlement on September 9.{{cite news |title=Michael Walker: Heads back to waivers |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/michael-walker-heads-back-to-waivers/ |website=CBSSports.com |date=September 9, 2020 |access-date=September 14, 2020}}

On June 11, 2021, Walker signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.{{cite web|title=Eagles add TE Richard Rodgers, WR Michael Walker|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-add-te-richard-rodgers-wr-michael-walker|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=June 11, 2021}} He was waived/injured on August 10, 2021 and placed on injured reserve.{{cite web|title=Eagles claim WR Marken Michel off waivers|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-claim-wr-marken-michel-off-waivers|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=August 10, 2021}} He was released on October 5.

Walker signed with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League on February 9, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.goelks.com/2022/02/09/transactions-elks-add-pair-nfl-products/ |title=Elks add pair of NFL products |publisher=Edmonton Elks |date=February 9, 2022 |accessdate=February 9, 2022}} He was placed on the suspended list on May 20, 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.goelks.com/2022/05/20/transactions-elks-add-running-back-badie/ | title=TRANSACTIONS - Elks add running back Badie | publisher=goelks.com | date=May 20, 2022 | accessdate=13 November 2024}} He was released on February 14, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.footballdb.com/teams/cfl/edmonton-elks/transactions/2023 | title=Edmonton Elks Transactions | publisher=footballdb.com | accessdate=13 November 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://bceagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10212 Boston College Eagles bio]
• {{commonscatinline}}

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Category:1996 births

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Naples, Florida

Category:American football wide receivers

Category:American football return specialists

Category:Boston College Eagles football players

Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players

Category:Naples High School alumni

Category:Philadelphia Eagles players

Category:Players of Canadian football from Florida

Category:Edmonton Elks players

Category:Canadian football wide receivers