Continuing on my series of the Top 5 draft prospects in the Mountain West Conference for the 2021 NFL Draft (in no particular order), we have Tre Walker, Wide Receiver out of San Jose State. Weighing in at 5’11” 180 lbs, he was the number one Receiver in the Mountain West Conference in terms of Receiving yards, and also Ranked number 13th in the FBS. The film I watched to scout Walker was @Air Force (2019), vs.Boise State (2019), and @Arkansas (2019).
Pros:
Walkers strengths are his speed, quickness, shiftiness, and pass catching ability, and they all helped him be a top 5 FBS pass catcher last season. He does a great job of using his quick feet to gain separation from DBs and then to evade defenders once the ball is in his hands. He also uses his pure speed to blow by DBs in man coverage and to finish the play in open space. Walker also does a fantastic job of catching the ball in open space and when contested. He uses his fantastic body control and leaping ability to high point and come down with passes. He also does a good job route running when he needs to find soft zones in coverage or cut on a dime to create separation.
Cons:
Walkers main weakness is his ability and willingness to block. He needs to become more aggressive when lead blocking rather than waiting for defenders to engage him, as well as he needs to fight across the field when play goes the other way to try and help his team gain extra yards. Walker will also need to work on his hand fighting ability when trying to separate from defenders as his speed alone will not work as well at the next level.
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line is Tre Walker is a prototype deep threat playmaker. He does a great job of getting separation and catching the ball, and when his QB throws behind him or above him, he does a fantastic job at adjusting his body to make a play on the ball. Once the ball is in his hands, he is a threat to take it to the house every play as he utilized his great speed in space and his agility and shiftiness to evade defenders. He is a solid route runner who finds soft spots in zone coverage, and also cuts on a dime to break out of his routes. Walker will need to work on his hand fighting to help create separation at the next level, but the biggest thing he needs to do is to become more aggressive and willing to lead block or fight across field to find a blocker to help his team. Improving his blocking will go a long way to help him secure a roster spot in 2021. His speed and elusiveness could make him an option as a return man, and he is also versatile enough to play out wide or in the slot. To finalize my scouting report, I have gave Tre Walker a prospect rating of 6.0, which translates to a 3rd round grade.
