When Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby was asked about the team's defensive offseason additions at the beginning of training camp, he mentioned one player by name: linebacker Quay Walker.
"It was back in OTAs," Crosby replied, "but I was out there doing a walkthrough, and I'm getting in a stance, and we're in the indoor [facility], Quay gave me a call and I just looked back. I looked at him and started just laughing out loud, and I don't even know why. He's like, 'What are you laughing at, bro?' I'm like, 'I've never seen a linebacker that big. I've never played with a linebacker that looks like the size of me.'"
The 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive lineman was rightfully impressed by the 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker's size. According to MockDraftable, Walker's measurements at the 2022 NFL Combine are in the 91st, 61st and 84th percentiles when it comes to height, weight and wingspan (nearly 80 inches), respectively, for the position. It's worth noting that MockDraftable's database goes back to 1999, when linebackers were heavier in the NFL, and 240-plus-pound second-level defenders are a rare breed in today's game.
That change is due to the rise of the passing game in the league, shifting the priority to athletic linebackers who can hold up in coverage. Despite what his size might suggest, the Georgia product is also an elite athlete for the position. He tested very well at the combine to earn a 9.63 out of 10 Relative Athletic Score, highlighted by a 4.52-second 40-yard dash (9.65 RAS), 6.89-second three-cone time (9.29) and 10-foot-2 broad jump (8.69).
For good measure, he also showed off plenty of strength during the pre-draft process by hitting 23 reps on the bench press.
#linebacker
"It was back in OTAs," Crosby replied, "but I was out there doing a walkthrough, and I'm getting in a stance, and we're in the indoor [facility], Quay gave me a call and I just looked back. I looked at him and started just laughing out loud, and I don't even know why. He's like, 'What are you laughing at, bro?' I'm like, 'I've never seen a linebacker that big. I've never played with a linebacker that looks like the size of me.'"
The 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive lineman was rightfully impressed by the 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker's size. According to MockDraftable, Walker's measurements at the 2022 NFL Combine are in the 91st, 61st and 84th percentiles when it comes to height, weight and wingspan (nearly 80 inches), respectively, for the position. It's worth noting that MockDraftable's database goes back to 1999, when linebackers were heavier in the NFL, and 240-plus-pound second-level defenders are a rare breed in today's game.
That change is due to the rise of the passing game in the league, shifting the priority to athletic linebackers who can hold up in coverage. Despite what his size might suggest, the Georgia product is also an elite athlete for the position. He tested very well at the combine to earn a 9.63 out of 10 Relative Athletic Score, highlighted by a 4.52-second 40-yard dash (9.65 RAS), 6.89-second three-cone time (9.29) and 10-foot-2 broad jump (8.69).
For good measure, he also showed off plenty of strength during the pre-draft process by hitting 23 reps on the bench press.
#linebacker
2 months ago
