Georgia football star LB Jalon Walker sits super high on Dane Brugler’s latest top 100 prospects as NFL draft approaches
Former Georgia Bulldogs star Jalon Walker is considered the best linebacker in the 2025 NFL Draft class for obvious reasons: his overall size, speed, and versatile ability to play off-ball or line up on the edge.
Walker was a standout performer for the Dawgs in 2024, earning the Butkus Award which is a prestigious accolade given annually to the nation’s best linebacker.
He finished his junior and final season with the Bulldogs recording 58 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.
Where Walker ends up at the next level remains to be seen, but The Athletic’s NFL Draft guru Dan Brugler expects it will be in the top 10 or at lest top 20 since he has the Georgia product ranked as the third-best prospect across all positions on his latest big board.
Our own draft experts at A to Z Sports are on the same page as Brugler, agreeing that Walker one of the best at his position and beyond:
“Jalon Walker had shown flashes of greatness prior to 2024, but he was a special force at linebacker for the Georgia Bulldogs this past season. After leading his team in pass rush pressures, sacks, and (nearly in) tackles, finding success in every facet of the game he won the Butkus Award for being the best linebacker in the nation
“He might actually settle in as an pass rusher at the next level given his absurd athleticism off the edge, but he’s versatile enough to do just about anything a defense wants him to as the ultimate chess piece up front.”
So far, Walker has repeatedly been linked to the New York Jets (No. 7), Carolina Panthers (N.8) Indianapolis Colts (No. 14) and Atlanta Falcons (No. 15).
