UGA Football LB Jalon Walker Drafted No. 15 Overall by the Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft
Real Georgia Fans Don’t Miss the Dawg Post Newsletter - Sign up now!
ATHENS - UGA Football UGA Football LB Jalon Walker was picked No. 15 Overall by the Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
The crowd in Austin had grown quiet - the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns were not moving the ball, and it was becoming clear that the Horns could not stop Georgia’s pass rush.
The primary problem had been Quinn Ewers’ inability to escape Jalon Walker. Hurried. Sacked. Football dislodged - there was no telling what Walker would next do to Ewers. So the Horns mixed things up, and put Arch Manning in to jump start things.
Manning wound up heels over head - flopped to the turf by Walker.
If there was any one game that shows the capability of Walker it is Georgia’s lopsided 30-15 win over No. 1 Texas in Austin. Georgia’s offense was struggling - hardly moving the ball and making their own mistakes along the way.
But as good as Texas’ defense was in 2024 - it didn’t have a Jalon Walker tormenting the offensive line. Texas didn’t have Jalon Walker, and that’s why Texas lost that night, and ultimately why UGA won its 15th SEC title in 2024.
The first game against the Horns was likely the exclamation point on Walker’s career in Athens, but it was not the only highlight. Walker won two SEC titles in addition to the 2022 national title. He blocked a punt against Kent State that resulted in a safety that year. A few months later he had three quarterback pressures against Ohio State in the Dawgs’ midnight win over the Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl. He had four quarterback hurries against TCU in Georgia’s 65-7 win over the Horned Frogs to win it all in 2022.
That was just the start for Walker, who ended his career as a consensus All-American and the winner of the 2024 Butkus Award, which is given to college football’s top linebacker.
2024 - Georgia Bulldogs LB Jalon Walker
Earned the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top linebacker...AFCA, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and USA Today All-America First Team selection...named to Walter Camp All-America Second Team...AP Third Team All-America selection...AP and Coaches Second Team All-SEC selection...Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Semifinalist...finished third of all Bulldog defenders with 60 tackles...led the team in tackles for loss with 10.5 for a combined loss of 50...tied for first on the team with 6.5 sacks for a loss of 41 yards... appeared in all 14 contests while making 11 starts...posted a team-leading six tackles in the Aflac Kickoff Game against Clemson…recorded 1.5 sacks for a loss of 13 yards...named Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Clemson...tallied a team-high 10 QB pressures in the SEC opener win over Kentucky…posted a team-leading seven solo tackles, including three sacks for a combined loss of 23 yards in win over Texas…recovered a fumble and recorded seven QB pressures against the Longhorns and was named SEC Defensive and Bednarik Award Player of the Week...recovered a fumble and was credited with five tackles in win over Florida in Jacksonville, Fla...had six tackles, including one for a loss of four yards, and a QB pressure against Ole Miss...led the Bulldog defense with eight tackles, including a sack for a loss of four yards, and two QB pressures in win over Tennessee...credited with six tackles, including four solo stops, and a pair of QB pressures in regular season finale win over Georgia Tech...notched a team-high five QB pressures with three tackles and a pass breakup in College Football Playoff Allstate Sugar Bowl Semifinal game against Notre Dame...named Butkus Award Finalist...Senior Bowl Midseason All-America Team...named to the SEC Leadership Council...included on the Senior Bowl and Lott IMPACT Trophy watch lists.
2023 - Georgia Bulldogs LB Jalon Walker
Played in all 14 games as a reserve ILB…posted a team-leading five sacks for a loss of 39 yards…tallied 20 tackles, including 14 solo stops...credited with half of a sack for a loss of four yards in win over Kentucky...forced the second fumble of the season for the Bulldogs with a sack for a loss of 13 yards in road win over Florida...had two tackles, including assisting on one for loss, in win over Ole Miss at home...posted a pair of tackles, including a career-high two sacks for a combined loss of 16 yards, along with five QB hurries in the SEC Championship against Alabama...notched four tackles in the Capital One Orange Bowl win over Florida State...selected to the Preseason Media Days All-SEC Third Team.
2022 - Georgia Bulldogs LB Jalon Walker
Saw action as a reserve LB and on kick coverage units in all 15 games...blocked a first-quarter Kent State punt that resulted in a safety...had four tackles in win over Vanderbilt...had two QB hurries in win over Florida...lone tackle in win at Kentucky resulted in a 1-yard loss...had two tackles, including one for lost yardage, in win over Georgia Tech...had one QB hurry against LSU in the SEC Championship...credited three QB hurries in win over Ohio State in CFP Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl...had one tackle for loss of 10 yards, one pass breakup and four QB hurries in win over TCU in CFP National Championship Game.
Salisbury (NC) LB Jalon Walker
Salisbury HS, coached by Brian Hinson…selected to play in 2022 Under Armour All-American Game…247Sports.com four-star prospect…ranked as the #3 linebacker prospect nationally, the #2 prospect in North Carolina and the #44 prospect nationally…PrepStar Magazine five-star prospect, #5 LB prospect, #2 prospect in North Carolina and #41 prospect nationally…ESPN.com four-star prospect, #3 LB prospect, #2 prospect in North Carolina and #38 prospect nationally…rivals.com four-star prospect, #3 LB prospect, #2 prospect in North Carolina and #79 prospect nationally…selected as the 2020 North Carolina Gatorade Football Player of the Year…helped lead Salisbury to 11-1 record and third round of NCHSAA Class 2A playoffs…notched 39 tackles, including 24 solo stops and one sack, while also playing offensive snaps at tight end…named finalist for 2021 High School Butkus Award…named the Central Carolina Conference Defensive Player of the Year during his junior and senior seasons…named Big 22 Player of the Year for best player in Charlotte area…also competed in basketball and track and field for Salisbury