Personal information | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born: | Brunswick, Georgia, U.S. | February 1, 1995||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
Weight: | 206 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||
High school: | Brunswick | ||||||||||
College: | Louisiana | ||||||||||
Position: | Safety | ||||||||||
NFL draft: | 2018 / Round: 3 / Pick: 82 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Player stats at PFR |
Tracy Leonard Walker III (born February 1, 1995) is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Louisiana. [1]
On December 16, 2017, it was announced that Walker had accepted his invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game. [2] Walker impressed scouts and team representatives during Shrine Game practices which added value to his draft stock. [3] On January 20, 2018, Walker played in the 2018 East–West Shrine Game and recorded two tackles and deflected a pass, but dropped an interception and was part of the East team that lost 14–10 to the West. [4] Walker attended the NFL Scouting Combine and completed all of the required combine and positional drills. On April 5, 2018, Walker attended Louisiana's pro day, but chose to stand on his combine numbers and only performed positional drills. At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Walker was projected to be a fifth or sixth round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. [5] He was ranked as the seventh best strong safety prospect in the draft by DraftScout.com and was ranked as the 12th best safety by Scouts Inc. [6] [7]
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 0+7⁄8 in (1.85 m) | 206 lb (93 kg) | 33+1⁄2 in (0.85 m) | 8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) | 4.51 s | 1.56 s | 2.64 s | 4.28 s | 7.00 s | 33 in (0.84 m) | 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m) | 14 reps | |
All values from NFL Combine [8] |
External videos | |
---|---|
Lions draft Tracy Walker 82nd overall |
The Detroit Lions selected Walker in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. [9] Walker was the sixth safety drafted in 2018. [10] On May 16, 2018, the Lions signed Walker to a four-year, $3.51 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $881,988. [11]
Late into a Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, Walker intercepted Jimmy Garoppolo for his first and potential game-winning interception, but the interception was overturned after a holding penalty on the Lions. [12] In a Week 11 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, Walker recorded his first interception when he picked off Cam Newton in a contested grab for the ball. [13] Walker ended the season with 21 tackles, two defended passes and one interception. Pro Football Focus rated Walker the fourth best defensive player on the Lions. [14]
In the offseason, the Lions released veteran Glover Quin which allowed more room for Walker to move up the depth chart. [15] In the Lions' Week 1 debut against the Arizona Cardinals, Walker recorded the most tackles and recorded his second interception in a 27–27 tie. [16] In an unpopular decision, the Lions traded away star safety Quandre Diggs to the Seattle Seahawks, allowing Walker to become the leading safety. [17]
During a 31–26 Week 8 win against the New York Giants, Walker suffered a knee injury during the third quarter causing him to miss three of the next four games. [18]
Walker ended the season with one interception, 103 tackles, and 8 defended passes. [19]
Walker's performance slowed in 2020, recording zero interceptions and four defended passes. However, Walker shined in Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings, leading the team with 13 tackles (11 solo) and recording his first career sack on Kirk Cousins during the 37–35 loss. [20]
In Week 18 of the 2021 season, Walker had 13 tackles and an interception in a 37-30 win over the Packers, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. [21]
Walker ended the season with 108 tackles, one interception, and 6 defended passes. [22]
On March 15, 2022, Walker signed a three-year, $25 million contract extension with the Lions through the 2024 season. [23]
On September 27, 2022, Walker was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn Achilles in Week 3. [24]
Walker was limited in 2023 coming of an his injury and saw limited action and mainly played on special teams. [25]
On February 20, 2024, Walker was released by the Lions after six seasons to free cap for other players. [26]
Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
2018 | DET | 16 | 0 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | DET | 13 | 12 | 103 | 82 | 21 | 0.0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2020 | DET | 15 | 7 | 87 | 64 | 23 | 1.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | DET | 15 | 15 | 108 | 74 | 34 | 1.0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | DET | 3 | 3 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2023 | DET | 17 | 6 | 59 | 42 | 17 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career | 79 | 43 | 398 | 291 | 107 | 4.0 | 23 | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Walker is second cousins with former Lions teammate Darius Slay. [27] Another second cousin, Ahmaud Arbery, was murdered in February 2020. [28]
Malcolm Jenkins is an American former professional football player who was a safety for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning consensus All-American honors, and winning the Jim Thorpe Award as a senior. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft and played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2014 to 2019.
Glover Freeman Quin Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the New Mexico Lobos, and was selected by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft. Quinn stayed in Houston for four seasons. He then also played for the Detroit Lions for six seasons.
Harrison Smith is an American football safety for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft with the 29th overall pick.
Tavon Wilson is a former American football safety. He played college football at the University of Illinois, and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. With the Patriots, Wilson won Super Bowl XLIX, and he has also played for the Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts.
Darius Demetrius Slay Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Itawamba before transferring to Mississippi State and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Derek Sherrard "D. J." Hayden Jr. was an American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. Hayden also played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Football Team.
Duron Harmon is an American football safety who is a free agent. Drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft after playing college football at Rutgers, Harmon was nicknamed "the Closer" by fans and media for his ability to come up with late, game-sealing interceptions during his Patriots tenure. Harmon has also played for the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, and Las Vegas Raiders.
Anthony Harris is an American football safety for the National Football League (NFL) who is a free agent. He played college football at Virginia, and was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He played his first six seasons with Minnesota, and was the NFL interceptions co-leader in 2019.
Quandre Diggs is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas, and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played his first two years in the NFL as a cornerback before being moved to safety. In 2019, Diggs was traded to the Seahawks.
Justin Jamal Coleman is an American football cornerback and nickelback who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee, and signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He has also been a member of the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins. Coleman won Super Bowl LI with the Patriots.
Jayron Kearse is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Clemson and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Eddie Jackson is an American football safety who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama.
Justin Simmons is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Boston College and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft.
Andrew Adams is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Connecticut.
Jalen Ahmad Reeves-Maybin is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Lions. He also currently serves as the President of the NFL Players Association.
DeShon Elliott is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Jessie Bates III is an American football safety for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wake Forest and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Justin Quintin Reid is an American football safety for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford. He previously played in the NFL for the Houston Texans.
Kindle Lee Vildor is an American football cornerback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Southern and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Tennessee Titans.
Saivion Smith is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at the University of Alabama.