Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker was viewed as a potential first-round prospect after a dominant 2023 season at the University of Kentucky. A back injury caused his performance to drop off considerably during his final college campaign with the Wildcats, though.
The Bills still saw enough from the mammoth 6’7”, 331-pound interior lineman to select him in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Now the three-time Second Team All-SEC selection is aiming to pay Buffalo back for their faith in his ability to bounce back.
“I’ve just got to trust that I’m going to get better every day,” Walker told Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News. “I’ve got to trust that I’m going to get back to, or be even better than, how I played in my 2023 season. They really took a chance on me here. They believe in me, and I’m going to show them what I can do.”
The Detroit native faces a crowded depth chart in Buffalo. That said, his upside can match anybody on the Bills defense if his back problems are firmly in the rear-view mirror.
Deone Walker Bills
Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky defensive lineman Deone Walker (DL38) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Bills’ Deone Walker Could Emerge as 2025 NFL Draft Steal
Former Coaches Praise Walker
Kentucky defensive line coach Anwar Stewart confirmed the defensive tackle opted to play through the lingering injury despite the negative impact it had on his draft stock.
“In 2023, he was definitely the best defensive player in the entire country,” Stewart told Lysowski. “He fought through that back injury because he didn’t want to let his team down. It showed his resilience and toughness. Did it hurt him? Now, looking back, yes, but he wanted to play with his boys and win. … He’s special, and when this kid is healthy and he’s 100 percent, he’s a handful.”
The Wildcats assistant added Walker is motivated to prove doubters wrong: “He’s ready to show those 31 other teams what they missed out on.”
"He was viewed as a top-10 guy"
➡️NFL Films' @gregcosell on #Bills DT Deone Walker and his "rare size and athleticism"#BillsMafia #NFLDraft2025 pic.twitter.com/gimQQ7WrjI
— One Bills Live (@OneBillsLive) April 29, 2025
Marvin Rushing, the head coach at Detroit’s Cass Tech High School where Walker emerged as a 4-star college recruit, is also bullish on the lineman’s NFL future.
“He’s a freak athlete,” Rushing told Lysowski. “Even at some points with us, he probably weighed 350-plus pounds, and the way he was able to move at that size just let you know he’s built different. … He’s not sitting there looking for a handout. He’s not expecting anything. I know the best is yet to come.”
Where Walker Fits on Bills’ Depth Chart
Buffalo has five defensive tackles who’ll fight for playing time to open the season. It’s a group that also includes Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, DeWayne Carter and Walker’s fellow rookie, T.J. Sanders. The number will increase to six once veteran free-agent signing Larry Ogunjobi returns. He’ll serve a six-game suspension to open the campaign.
Oliver is locked into a starting role. Beyond that, however, there are a lot of snaps up for grabs based on how training camp and the preseason play out. Jones’ struggles last season could even make him an under-the-radar cut candidate. That would create plenty of opportunity.
#Bills DC Bobby Babich on rookie DT Deone Walker
"He does things at his size that you're not expecting someone at that size to be able to do" pic.twitter.com/KSE2WXnPve
— Carl Jones (@Jones11_) June 3, 2025
Walker is the perfect complement to the smaller, more agile Oliver on paper. His space-eating size and ability to take on double teams was impressive in 2023. That’s exactly what the Bills have been searching for in recent years. They’ve so far been unsuccessful.
Although the fit is promising, Buffalo rarely leans heavily on rookies. General manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott prefer to slowly work in first-year players. It would take some truly special play from Walker to buck that longtime trend.
What Are Fair Rookie-Year Expectations?
While the Bills are hoping Walker eventually develops into a key defensive piece, the short-term predictions should remain modest. Buffalo is in championship-or-bust mode, so it’s going to lean heavily on veterans to carry the load.
That said, the former UK standout should still carve out a weekly role. He’ll likely see most of his playing time on the early downs, at least initially. Emerging as a situational run-stuffing weapon would be a successful outcome for his rookie year.
"That may be the steal of the draft…the kid is a unicorn."
Kentucky Co-Defensive Coordinator Chris Collins on #Bills draft pick DT Deone Walker.
Walker is 6'7", 331 lbs. and had 10 sacks, 22 TFLs in 3 seasons. pic.twitter.com/8WcSfGTWVr
— Andy Young (@AndyYoungTV) April 29, 2025
It’ll be interesting to see how his snap share trends throughout the year, though. There are a wide range of possibilities. If he’s all the way back to full strength and plays like he did in 2023, however, it’s possible he’ll be a crucial part of the Bills’ defensive line come playoff time.
All told, Walker is an intriguing talent who could emerge as one of the league’s best defensive tackles during his peak years. Showing he’s 100 percent healthy would be the first major step toward that outcome.
Main Photo: Vasha Hunt – Imagn Images