Rookie minicamp is underway and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fourth-round pick David Walker has dominated on-field drills at the AdventHealth Training Center in the same way he bullied offensive tackles at the 2025 Senior Bowl.
"He was invited to the Senior Bowl and I saw him matched up with the top competition and he did a good job," said Inside Linebackers Coach Larry Foote. "He belonged…He is just a dawg. He can rush the passer, and he is tough. He loves football and you know his height thing, I think that is why he slid [in the Draft]. I was glad that we were able to get him."
In terms of understanding the scheme, Head Coach Todd Bowles dubbed Walker the "best t-shirt and helmet player" during Day One of rookie minicamp. Whether a lethal spin move during team period or burst off the ball to disrupt gaps every rep, Walker lived in the backfield. Throughout his collegiate tenure, at both Southern Arkansas and Central Arkansas, he became a consistent force. Walker posted 82.5 tackles for loss and 39 sacks over the previous four seasons at both programs and lit up the tape with urgency. He utilizes both strength and speed to add variation to his rush attack and during minicamp, Walker flashed in the trenches.
Following his selection in the draft, Foote gave General Manager Jason Licht a gigantic hug in the War Room and yelled, "Super Bowl, baby." His prior experience as a Pittsburgh Steeler and belief on efficiency in the middle rounds of the draft prompted the statement following Walker's acquisition.
"I am a little biased because I was a fourth-round pick and when I made my first Super Bowl in Pittsburgh, we were full of guys that were late-round picks – fourth-round guys, sixth-round and even some free agents," noted Foote. "So, I just believe that if you do a good job in those rounds, you will set yourself up to win the Super Bowl. I was excited that we got that caliber of player at that pick."
Tampa Bay is known for having success in the middle rounds, finding Chris Godwin in the third round, Yaya Diaby in the third, Cade Otton in the fourth and most recently, Bucky Irving in the fourth round. It is a rarity for a rookie to take the NFL by storm but considering the production Walker has had since arriving in Florida, he may be the Buccaneers' next prodigy.
