Signing Day capsule: J.R. Walker
One of Virginia Tech's top commits has officially signed: Clayton (N.C.) safety J.R. Walker is in the Hokie fold.
The 6-1, 202-pounder was the subject of an intense recruiting battle, and should have the opportunity to help those two schools continue to duke it out on the field in the coming years.
Rankings
Three-star, No. 16 player in North Carolina and No. 35 "athlete" prospect nationally.
Other suitors
Appalachian State, Clemson, Duke, East Carolina, Michigan State, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wake Forest
Recruitment story
Although he has plenty of connections to NC State - including playing right in the Pack's backyard - Virginia Tech was able to win a head-to-head battle against their ACC brethren in October. Walker narrowed his choices to those two schools, and surprised many by picking the Hokies. High school teammate Savion Jackson couldn't convince Walker to join him in Raleigh, and even plenty of players trying to encourage the flip at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas last weekend got no traction. Walker loved his fit in the Bud Foster defense, and will follow through on playing in the Lunch Pail D.
Game breakdown
Walker is a versatile threat for his high school team, playing running back (even a bit of quarterback) and just about every position on the defense. His best fit at Virginia Tech will be at the whip linebacker position (or nickel-type role), where his combination of size and athleticism will serve him well. He's a good fit for the role: comfortable enough in man and zone coverages to drop back and defend the pass, strong enough to hold up at the point of attack and tackle running backs, and quick enough to burst into the backfield as a pass-rusher. While he's not elite in any particular category, he's well-rounded enough to be a star in Blacksburg.
Statistically speaking
Clayton finished 9-3. Walker had 26 carries for 286 yards (11.0 per carry) and three touchdowns, two receptions for 17 yards (8.5 per catch), and one punt return for 50 yards, plus completed 1/2 passes for three yards offensively. On defense, he had 38 tackles with three for loss, an interception and four pass breakups.