Life After Lawrence Timmons. Final Take.

Hello fellow members of TSF. AskQuestionsLater here bringing you my final installment of a series that will focus on Pittsburgh's life after Lawrence Timmons. Timmons has been quite the consistent bedrock for over 10 seasons. However.. much like any stone... cracks will appear somewhere and only get worse. Last year was when we saw those cracks on Timmons.. and his Week 1 debut against the 'Skins solidified his downward trajectory. With Ryan Shazier now commanding the defense.. a running mate will be needed. Sometimes however.. an underdogs story can carry the most impact.. and today we will be focusing on a player as requested by TSF Supporter Turtle.


Please enter....







Anthony Walker


Height: 6'1


Weight: 235lbs.


Age: N/A



Much like Raekwon McMillan... Anthony Walker is a tackling machine. However.. unlike both McMillan and Davis.. Walker has an aptitude for tackling. He had 60 solo tackles, surpassing both Davis and McMillan, and his 120 total is the same. In addition.. his 19.0 tackles for loss far exceeds both Raekwon and Jarrad. While Raekwon has the size and Jarrad has the speed... Walker seems to be the jack of all trades as he has both. He is not as fast as Jarrad nor as strong as Raekwon.. but his uncanny football IQ exceeds both. Unlike the other two, Walker excels at picking apart run schemes and identifying gaps at a faster pace. His explosive power is very good. Not as good as Davis.. but good enough to get the job done. One thing he does even better than McMillan though is his ability to stonewall lineman at the point of attack. While McMillan has better overall strength... it is not by much.. and Walker beats him soundly using technique and leverage as opposed to brute force.




Being a former safety and wide receiver, Walker has great short area agility when asked to drop into zone coverage. His three interceptions are not just a testament to his football IQ.. but his fluid movements and quick change of direction, not to mention his situational awareness. In comparison to the other two, Raekwon has the fluid part down.. but not the speed.. and Jarrad is the best overall. So while Anthony will not beat Jarrad in any straight line footraces.. Pittsburgh asking him to drop deep into coverage is exactly is what Walker will be good at.



Now all sounds good for Walker. He plays the run and pass well and has exceptional football IQ and awareness that is quite rare even among players like Myles Garrett and Jabril Peppers; both who rely more on talent than technique. This makes him the most consistent linebacker in the class.. and.. by Steelers standards.. the most pro ready. Here in lies Walker's only weakness, pass rushing. Granted.. Walker is not asked to pass rush much.. but when he does.. he relies on athleticism and talent alone; a trait that cannot be used in the pro levels. In addition, like most, if not all college players, over aggression upon shooting the gaps does happen.. but again.. Seldom for for Walker.



Outside of pass rushing however... there really is not too much to complain about. Walker is the archetype modern NFL linebacker who can cover in addition to lay some wood. Considering his great overall athleticism and superb IQ.. he will most likely be taken as high as top 20 but no lower than early round 2. If the jack of all trades is your player... then Walker is for you. If anything, he reminds me of a more athletic Tyler Matakevich.



Well guys.. it had been fun.. but like all good things it must come to an end. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Tune in next time where I take a look at one of Colbert's biggest's botches in his tenure: Jarvis "DawgBones" Jones. In addition guys, remember to ask me who you want me to scout for a Jarvis replacement by adding your submission in the thread or message me.



So that is it guys. Thank you and take care.

 

i want the SS from air force if not only for his name. weston steelhammer.

keep an eye on a guy from UTSA. mike egwuagu (sp?) just a shade over 6' 220. looks bigger, plays bigger. he's a SS for them with good ball skills and can hit.

 

Thanks Mac. I will. Just have to power through the Jarvis Jones saga first.