Quay Walker
{{short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Quay Walker
| image = File:Luke Doty and Quay Walker Crop.jpg
| caption = Walker with the Georgia Bulldogs in 2021
| current_team = Green Bay Packers
| number = 7
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|5|8}}
| birth_place = Cordele, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 241
| high_school = Crisp County (Cordele)
| college = Georgia (2018–2021)
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 22
| pastteams =
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 341
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 6.5
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 3
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 1
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 12
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 = 1
| pfr = W/WalkQu00
}}
JaQuavian Jy'Quese "Quay" Walker (born May 8, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Packers in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Early life
Walker was born on May 8, 2000, in Cordele, Georgia. He attended Crisp County High School, where he had 109 tackles, eight sacks, and an interception as a junior.{{Cite web |date=June 8, 2017 |title=Crisp County linebacker commits to Alabama |url=https://www.walb.com/story/35624372/crisp-county-linebacker-commits-to-alabama/ |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=WALB}} Walker was rated a four-star recruit and initially committed to play college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide before his senior year in 2017, but changed to Georgia in early 2018.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Cam |date=June 9, 2017 |title=Four-star Crisp County (Ga.) LB Quay Walker picks Alabama |url=https://usatodayhss.com/2017/four-star-crisp-county-ga-lb-quay-walker-picks-alabama |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=USA TODAY High School Sports |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Zenitz |first=Matt |date=February 7, 2018 |title=Kirby Smart flips 4-star LB Quay Walker from Alabama |url=https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2018/02/four-star_lb_flips_commitment.html |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=AL.com}}
College career
Walker played in all 14 of Georgia's games during his freshman season and had six total tackles.{{Cite web |last=Towers |first=Chip |date=September 5, 2019 |title=Georgia's Quay Walker glad to move on from 'regretful' hat toss |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/georgia-quay-walker-glad-move-from-regretful-hat-toss/wGEzN3KEloOasGX15z7f0J/ |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} He saw increased playing time as a sophomore and finished the season with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.{{Cite web |last=Spooner |first=Chris |date=May 14, 2020 |title=2021 NFL Draft: Meet Georgia Linebacker Quay Walker |url=https://www.profootballnetwork.com/meet-georgia-linebacker-quay-walker/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Pro Football Network |language=en-US}} Walker finished as Georgia's fourth-leading tackler with 43 in his junior season.{{Cite web |last=Weiszer |first=Marc |date=November 16, 2021 |title=Sideline to sideline, Georgia football inside linebackers relish sharing playmaking load |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/story/sports/college/bulldogs-extra/2021/11/16/georgia-football-nakobe-dean-channing-tindall-quay-walker-uga-bulldogs-kirby-smart/8620078002/ |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=Athens Banner-Herald}}{{Cite web |last=Rowe |first=Jake |date=September 22, 2021 |title=Quay Walker experiences 'pretty awesome' transformation at Georgia |url=https://247sports.com/college/georgia/Article/Georgia-Bulldogs-Football-Quay-Walker-pretty-awesome-transformation-Kirby-Smart-171508884/ |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=247Sports.com}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3 3/4
| weight = 241
| dash = 4.52
| ten split = 1.59
| twenty split = 2.64
| shuttle = 4.32
| cone drill = 6.89
| vertical = 32.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 2
| bench = 23
| arm span = 32 5/8
| hand span = 9 1/4
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |last=Reuter |first=Chad |last2=Zierlein |first2=Lance |title=Quay Walker Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/quay-walker/32005741-4c29-3485-e96f-d2f0f1223e1d |access-date=March 8, 2022 |publisher=National Football League}}{{Cite web |title=2022 Draft Scout Quay Walker, Georgia NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1029609&DraftYear=2022 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}
}}
=2022=
Walker was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2022/draft.htm |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=April 28, 2022 |title=2022 NFL Draft: Packers select Georgia LB Quay Walker in first round, No. 22 overall |url=https://www.packers.com/news/2022-nfl-draft-packers-select-georgia-lb-quay-walker-in-first-round-no-22-overal |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Packers.com}} The Packers previously acquired the pick in a trade that sent Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. On May 6, 2022, he signed his rookie contract.{{Cite web |date=May 6, 2022 |title=Packers sign seven draft picks |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-seven-draft-picks-x9454 |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Packers.com |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506215231/https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-seven-draft-picks-x9454 |url-status=dead }}
Walker was ejected in week 8 against the Buffalo Bills after an altercation with Bills' practice squad tight end Zach Davidson, following a play where Walker made a tackle on the Bills sideline.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Charean |date=October 31, 2022 |title=Quay Walker ejected for shove on Bills' sideline |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/10/30/quay-walker-ejected-for-shove-on-bills-sideline/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=ProFootballTalk |language=en-US}} In week 11, during a 40–33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Walker scooped up a fumble forced by teammate Rudy Ford on Eagles wide receiver A. J. Brown and returned it 63 yards to put the Packers in scoring position.{{cite web |title=Can't-Miss Play: Quay Walker goes 63 YARDS after picking up fumble forced by Rudy Ford |url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/can-t-miss-play-quay-walker-goes-63-yards-after-picking-up-fumble-forced-by-rudy |website=NFL.com |access-date=November 28, 2022 |date=November 27, 2022}}
Walker was ejected a second time in week 18 against the Detroit Lions after shoving a member of the Lions medical staff, becoming the only player since the 2000 NFL season to be ejected more than once in a single season.{{Cite web |last=Demovsky |first=Rob |date=January 9, 2023 |title=Ejected Packers LB apologizes for shoving trainer |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35410180/packers-quay-walker-ejected-shoving-lions-medical-staffer |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
Walker played all 17 games in his rookie campaign, finishing the season with a team-high 121 total tackles (75 solo, 46 assisted).{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers 2022 Stats on ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/stats/_/name/gb/green-bay-packers |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} He also recorded a team-high three forced fumbles, as well as 1.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2022.htm |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
=2023=
On September 10, 2023, during a 38–20 win over the Chicago Bears, Walker intercepted a pass from Justin Fields and returned it 37 yards for his first NFL touchdown.{{cite web |title=Can't-Miss Play: Quay Walker's first NFL TD comes via pick-six vs. Fields |url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/can-t-miss-play-quay-walker-s-first-nfl-td-comes-via-pick-six-vs-fields |website=NFL.com |access-date=September 18, 2023 |date=September 10, 2023}} In the 2023 season, Walker appeared in 14 games. He had 2.5 sacks, 118 tackles, one interception, and three passes defended.{{Cite web |title=Quay Walker 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WalkQu00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
NFL career statistics
=Regular season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Year | rowspan=2|Team | rowspan=2|GP | rowspan=2|GS | colspan=5 |Tackles | colspan=6 |Interceptions | colspan=2 |Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Solo | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | FR |
| 2022 | GB
| 17 || 16 || 121 || 75 || 46 || 1.5 || 0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 1 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | GB
| 14 || 14 || 118 || 59 || 59 || 2.5 || 0 || 3 || 1 || 37 || 37.0 || 37 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 2024
!GB |9 |9 |72 |51 |21 |1.5 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | ||||||||||||
| colspan="2" |Total || 40 || 39 || 311 || 185 || 126 || 5.5 || 0 || 11 || 1 || 37 || 37 || 37.0 || 1 || 3 || 1 | ||||||||||||
| colspan="17"|Source: [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WalkQu00.htm pro-football-reference.com] |
=Postseason=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Year | rowspan=2|Team | rowspan=2|GP | rowspan=2|GS | colspan=5 |Tackles | colspan=6 |Interceptions | colspan=2 |Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Solo | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | FR |
| 2023 | GB
| 2 || 2 || 20 || 9 || 11 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| colspan="2" |Total || 2 || 2 || 20 || 9 || 11 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||
| colspan="17"|Source: [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WalkQu00/gamelog/post/ pro-football-reference.com] |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{footballstats|yahoo=33977|espn=4379416|nfl=quay-walker}}
- [https://www.packers.com/team/players-roster/quay-walker/ Green Bay Packers bio]
- [https://georgiadogs.com/sports/football/roster/quay-walker/5484 Georgia Bulldogs bio]
{{Green Bay Packers roster navbox}}
{{2021 Georgia Bulldogs football navbox}}
{{2022 NFL Draft}}
{{Green Bay Packers first-round draft picks}}
{{Green Bay Packers 2022 NFL draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Quay}}
Category:People from Cordele, Georgia
Category:Players of American football from Crisp County, Georgia
Category:American football linebackers