In this past NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills made some moves that fans may not have expected. In the second round, the Bills traded up 15 spots to acquire South Carolina defensive tackle, T.J. Sanders. Then in the fourth round, the Bills traded up to acquire defensive tackle out of Kentucky, Deone Walker.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and 330lbs, Walker is a fantastic rotational player for the Bills who has the chance to become a starter later on in his career. The good news is that because Buffalo likes to rotate their linemen, he should get a lot of playing time.
Coming out of Kentucky, Walker at one point was considered a first round talent in 2023, but then dealing with a back injury throughout the 2024 season hurt his production and his draft stock. That’s why the Bills were able to snag him early in the fourth round.
DT Deone Walker proving to be big time draft steal for Bills
Throughout this preseason, there were a handful of times where we saw Walker pushing offensive linemen around and creating pressure. We got to see the presence that he will be bringing to the Bills for the duration of his rookie contract. Getting a player like him in the fourth round, when he should have gone sooner is a complete steal for Buffalo.
Sure, he had his downs just like any other player. But there was more to be excited about with Walker than concern.
He will have the chance to learn behind guys like Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones, and then have the chance to fight for a starting spot at some point in his career. In addition with learning from the veterans, Walker will also be able to play alongside Sanders and this duo can grow year after year from here on out.
If Walker can continue to work on his game and stay healthy, don’t be surprised when the rest of the NFL starts to wonder how the Bills were able to steal Walker on the third day of this year’s draft.