David Walker, the Buccaneers’ 2025 fourth-round pick, is absolutely tearing up training camp, making it impossible to dismiss him as just another August blip. After an ACL tear sidelined him for his entire rookie season, the dude has spent nearly every practice living in the backfield, and now he’s getting opportunities with the first-team defense. Talk about a comeback!
Nine Practices and No Turning Back
This isn’t just some flash in the pan either. ESPN’s Jenna Laine hit us with the cold, hard facts Sunday, stating, “This is now nine practices that edge David Walker has gotten into the backfield.” And the clincher? That latest pressure came while he was lining up with the 1s. That changes the entire conversation. Walker rolled into camp fighting for rotational snaps, tucked behind guys like Yaya Diaby, their shiny first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., and veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad. No one in Tampa Bay expected a 6-foot-1 former fourth-rounder, fresh off ACL surgery, to suddenly be the answer to their pass rush prayers.
Undersized Edge, Massive Impact
Walker’s game has always been a little outside the box. He is undersized for a traditional NFL edge rusher, but man, his power, his bend, and that leverage made him one of the most productive pass rushers in FCS football. Now, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht is throwing around some serious praise. He recently put his excitement over Walker on an “even plane” with Bain. Think about that for a second: comparing a fourth-round pick coming off a major injury to a *first-round selection*. That’s wild. The Bucs have been searching for consistent edge production for years, and those nine straight disruptive practices are hitting different now. Todd Bowles, the head coach, may have no choice but to find a spot for this guy.
Nobody’s handing Walker a starting job just because he is collecting imaginary camp sacks. But he is way past just trying to make the rotation. Instead, he is forcing Tampa Bay to seriously question how many truly disruptive pass rushers they actually have. Get ready to see what this kid does when the pads really start flying.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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