Derel Walker

Derel Walker
No. 87     Edmonton Eskimos
Date of birth (1991-06-29) June 29, 1991
Place of birth Hillsboro, Texas
Career information
Status Active
CFL status International
Position(s) WR
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg)
College Texas A&M
High school Hillsboro HS
Career history
As player
2014 Tennessee Titans*
2014 Omaha Mammoths
2015–present Edmonton Eskimos
*Off-season and/or practice roster only.
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 2015
CFL West All-Star 2015, 2016
Career stats

Derel Walker (born June 29, 1991) is a gridiron football wide receiver who plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He previously attended Texas A&M University where he played college football for the Aggies.

Early career

Walker played high school football as well as baseball and track and field at Hillsboro High School. He also participated in power-lifting. He was named an honorable mention to the 2008 Super Centex team and a member of the 2009 All-Centex team by the Waco Tribune-Herald.[1][2] From 2010 to 2011, he played junior college football at the local Trinity Valley Community College. During his two seasons at Trinity Valley, he made 44 catches for 864 yards and 10 touchdowns[3] while helping to lead his team to the second round of playoffs in 2011.[1]

Walker committed to transfer to Texas A&M in early 2012 to play for the Aggies.[4] In a fall scrimmage, Walker caught two touchdown passes of 20 and 35 yards.[5] He played a minor role in the regular season, playing in 12 games but catching only eight passes for 85 yards and no touchdowns.[1] Walker was more active in his final year with the Aggies in 2013. He played large roles against Arkansas when he caught seven passes for 81 yards and against Vanderbilt when he caught his first two touchdown passes at Texas A&M.[6][7] Walker was third on the team in catches with 45 receptions and second on the team with 705 receiving yards in the regular season.[8] In the post-season, Walker made an impact at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, where he made six catches for 113 yards including a 44-yard touchdown.[9][10] He finished his career at Texas A&M with finishing with 59 receptions for 903 yards and five touchdowns.[11] Walker was the last receiver to catch a pass from quarterback Johnny Manziel before Manziel was drafted by the Cleveland Browns.[12]

Professional career

Tennessee Titans

Walker was eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft but went undrafted. He was later signed by the Tennessee Titans as a free agent.[13] He was released at the end of the pre-season in 2014.[14]

Edmonton Eskimos

Walker was signed as a free agent by the Edmonton Eskimos on April 29, 2015 after participating in an Eskimos mini-camp in Florida.[15] He was placed on the practice roster at the end of the pre-season, where he remained until he was activated in early August following a hip injury to Adarius Bowman. Walker made his CFL debut in a game against the Montreal Alouettes on August 13, where he recorded 10 catches for 125 yards as well as a tackle.[16] The following week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Walker caught 14 passes for 183 yards.[12] Walker would go on to finish the 2015 CFL season with 89 receptions and 1,110 yards and 6 touchdowns (in only 12 games played). In the Westen Final Derel Walker had 11 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown as the Eskimos advanced to the 103rd Grey Cup game over the Calgary Stampeders, their provincial rivals. During the Grey Cup festivities Walker was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie.[17] Walker continued his spectacular performance into the 2016 season, finishing second in the league in both receptions (109) and yards (1,589) trailing fellow teammate Adarius Bowman in both instances. Shortly following the end of their season Derel Walker bid farewell to his teammates to pursue NFL opportunities. Walker's CFL contract will expire in February 2016.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Derel Walker". Texas A&M University Athletics. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  2. ↑ Conine, Chad (January 18, 2009). "TRIBUNE-HERALD SUPER CENTEX FOOTBALL TEAM 2008: A season to cherish for Midway". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Derel Walker". Edmonton Eskimos. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  4. ↑ Dial, Jenny (February 1, 2012). "A&M: Aggies get playmakers, D-line help in talented 2012 recruiting class". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ Cessna, Robert (August 12, 2012). "Texas A&M's QB race still wide open after open practice". McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
  6. ↑ Cessna, Robert (September 29, 2013). "Aggies' defense handle Razorbacks' 'kitchen-sink' offense, running backs take care of rest in 45–33 win". McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
  7. ↑ Bowen, Larry (October 27, 2013). "Key matchup: Pair of wideouts put on show at Kyle Field". McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
  8. ↑ "Five football recruits to enroll at Texas A&M in January". McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Tribune Content Agency LLC. December 20, 2013.
  9. ↑ Cessna, Robert (January 1, 2014). "The Eagle, Bryan, Texas, Robert Cessna column". McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
  10. ↑ Roberson, Doug (January 1, 2014). "Trailing by 21 points, Manziel rallies Texas A&M past Duke in second half in a Chick-fil-A Bowl thriller". McClatchy – Tribune News Service. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
  11. ↑ Moddejonge, Gerry (May 4, 2015). "Eskimos augment camp roster with QBs, receivers among dozen additions". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. 1 2 "Ticats put up 49 points in convincing win over Eskimos". CFL.ca. August 22, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  13. ↑ Glennon, John (May 17, 2014). "Tennessee Titans test undrafted wide receivers". Tennessean. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  14. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (August 25, 2014). "Ken Whisenhunt on Titans' roster cuts: 'It's tough'". Tennessean. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  15. ↑ O'Leary, Chris (April 29, 2015). "Edmonton Eskimos sign seven players". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  16. ↑ Moddejonge, Gerry (August 14, 2015). "Edmonton Eskimos: Walker fills in well for Adarius Bowman". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Eskimos' Derel Walker wins CFL most outstanding rookie award". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  18. ↑ "Derel Walker bidding farewell to Edmonton Eskimos". Edmonton Journal. 2016-11-22. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
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