This is a post in our series of Hello posts, where we breakdown each newcomer in the 2024-2025 recruiting class and transfer portal. Check out the previous post on Cobin Laisure at:
Position:
Linebacker
Size:
6’1”, 225 pounds as currently listed on the CU roster and most recruiting sites. No altitude shrinkage for this one!
Offers:
At the end of the day, Walker picked CU over offers from 20 big time college football programs, including Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, LSU, Miami (yes, that Miami), Tennessee and Florida. Walker committed to Michigan before decommitting and committing to the Buffs (see more below).
Recruiting Rankings:
Walker is ranked as a 3-star player on 247 composite rankings, and is ranked as the #833 player nationally and the #87 linebacker. After his sophomore season, however, Rivals ranked Walker as the #145 player nationally and the #15 LB nationally. Walker dropped in rankings over the following year and ended his career ranked a “run of the mill” 3-star player on Rivals.
High School:
Walker played his high school at Buford High School, which plays big time Georgia football. Each year, Buford sends about 15 kids off to play college football. In the 2022 class, both Victor Venn and Aubrey Smith committed to CU out of Buford High School. Venn was an undersized speedster that, as a result of the “I’m Bringing My Louie to Boulder” purge, transferred to Liberty before playing a down at Colorado. Aubrey Smith transferred to Houston but now is listed on the roster at Navarro Junior College.
Buford High is a power in the Georgia scene. Buford lost in the Georgia Class 6A semifinals to Carrollton High School. You may have heard of Carrollton because Carrollton’s star quarterback was Juju Lewis, who you may have heard of for one of two reasons — first, the Sink in Boulder named a hamburger after him and, second, he’s a 5-star quarterback and the future savior of your Colorado Buffaloes.
Buford finished the season ranked 12th nationally. 4 of the top 12 high school teams in the nation play in Georgia, showing why it’s critical for CU to have a material presence there. [The highest ranked Colorado high school team nationally was Cherry Creek High School, which finished ranked 96th in the country per Maxpreps. As an aside, congrats to former CU interim head coach Mike Sanford, who was recently named head coach at Valor Christian! Sanford is a Forever Buff and someone that I’ll be cheering for going forward, even though it’s tough to root for Valor.]
During his senior year at Buford, Walker recorded 60 tackles, including three for a loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble.
In his junior season, Walker amassed 54 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries, aiding Buford to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the 7A quarterfinals. Buford’s quarterback during Walker’s junior year was current Nebraska Corndog signal caller Dylan “Dollar Store Mahomes” Raiola.
The Scooooooooop:
Walker originally committed to Michigan in one of the most amazing commitment videos I’ve ever seen — he committed to Adam Gorney at Rivals.com while getting his haircut. Watch this video. It’s maybe the single greatest commitment video I’ve ever seen. Seriously, please watch.
This video will now inform his nickname for the rest of his collegiate career. I’m leaning towards “Manny Shears,” “The Mane,” “The Blade” Walker…what else? If I know my readers, I know you’ll be able to come up with equally dumb nicknames. I already love this kid.
After decommitting to Michigan, Walker ended up committing to CU in April 2024 with a non-haircut commitment video (boo).
After committing to CU, however, Stanford stayed on him and Walker ended up visiting Stanford in June of 2024. He told Sam Spiegelman at Rivals:
“Even though I’m committed, Stanford has been on me heavy…I’m locked in with Colorado, but they’re pushing until Signing Day. They’ve been on me heavy, and feel like I could be a key piece in their defense. They preach the plan to have two Plan As and a 40-year plan, and I definitely like what Stanford has to offer.”
He stayed loyal to the Buffs, though, and ended up signing with Colorado. He told 247Sports why he signed with CU. “The environment, the coaches, how I was a No. 1 priority, and the constant communication with Colorado were why I committed to them.”
Walker has also credited Coach Hart for committing to CU. He told Sam Spiegelman at Rivals that:
“I sat down with Coach Hart and from the beginning, he’s the reason I was hit up and plugged in there. He and I have a close relationship, for sure. Coach Bartolone and I are close, and we’ve been building that relationship up since I went up there for the USC game. Coach Hart and I have been locked in every day. He contacts me, my dad, my mom weekly. We’re texting and letting me look at the scheme and how I fit in, and the little things I can do to be ready to go when I come there in January.”
More than one analyst that has spoken with Mantrez has commented on both his obvious intelligence and his nasty demeanor on the football field. I’m calling my shot — he’ll be a captain at CU.
Run the tape!!!!
Walker plays Mike linebacker for Buford and looks the part. He’s a big time hitter, and his highlight video is fun to watch him THUMP players over and over.
He has room to add mass as he looks smaller than his listed weight of 225 pounds. One clear strength of Walker’s is diagnosing run plays and when he hits his gap and locates the running back, he’s rewarded with a tackle for loss.
Walker projects as an inside linebacker that can play both Mike and Will, but he’ll most likely start out his college career at Mike.
One of the reasons that Walker may have dropped in the recruiting rankings is a need to continue to refine his pass coverage skills. While he is a strong run defender and plays physically, he can continue to work on his pass coverage, particularly in man-to-man situations against quicker running backs and tight ends. Additionally, while he moves extremely well downhill, his lateral movement and change of direction can improve, particularly when chasing ball carriers in open space. His abiility to play in space will be crucial in his level of success at CU.
But how will he fit into the CU multi-verse?
Walker is smart enough to get recruited by Stanford and hits hard enough to join #TeamThumper. He’s got future captain written all over him.
Overall excitement level:
4 stars (out of 5). CU has had some #Thumper linebackers in the past, guys that would smack anything and anyone that was unlucky enough to be in their path. Think of guys like Ted Johnson, Bad Thad Washington, Matt Russell, Nate Landman, and Greg Biekert. Were they the best coverage guys out there? Not necessarily. But could they knock a running back into last Tuesday? You bet! While Walker’s all-conference type accolades and NFL future may rest on his ability to improve his coverage skills and lateral quickness, I’m excited to get to watch a THUMPER in any case.