Name: Amorion Walker
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Ponchatoula (LA) Ponchatoula
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #4
Last year: Walker was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 8 touchdown passes.
TTB Rating: 81
Walker was committed to Notre Dame for a long time, but one of the worst kept secrets in recruiting last year was his impending flip to Michigan. Insiders were hinting or flat-out saying he was going to flip, but that it was just a matter of time. And it's totally understandable why he would ditch the Fighting Irish for the Wolverines, because Notre Dame people are nincompoops.
As for Walker's accomplishments on the field, he earned offers from Alabama and LSU and was selected for the Under Armour All-America Game. He was a 247 Composite 3-star, the #72 wide receiver, and #526 overall, which all seem to be low rankings for a guy with offers from several powerhouse programs.
The only reasonable explanation for the low rankings is the fact that Walker is only 180 pounds, which is tiny for someone who is 6'4". Walker enrolled early at Michigan, and Jim Harbaugh raved about him as a football player. I think Harbaugh loves this kid. His high school film makes him look like a greyhound being covered by a bunch of Dachshunds. But with as skinny as he is, I think 2022 will be a year for him to redshirt and get in the weight room. Michigan has plenty of depth at receiver right now to keep him safely on the sideline.
Prediction: Redshirt
Randy Moss was skinny as a rail too. And I can see why Alabama would want Amorion Walker. DeVonta Smith was, and still is, skinny. Crazy as it sounds, even now as a pro, he weighs 10 lbs. less than Amorion Walker. But he can play. (oh, he's also 4 inches shorter than Amorion Walker.)
ReplyDeleteRon Bellamy might make this kid a great player.
I think he'll redshirt but also catch some passes, maybe even a TD.
ReplyDeleteAs somewhere between the 6th and 8th WR on the roster I can definitely see him get in late and be on the receiving end of a bomb from Davis Warren or Alan Bowman. Michigan had 8 scholarship WRs catch passes last year while using Corum and Edwards there a good bit as well. The last full year before that (2019) they had 7 scholarship WRs catch passes. Probably some playing in there that don't catch passes too.
These days if you aren't putting a scholarship skill position player out there for a few games it probably means the kid is hurt or in the doghouse. Dixon got in last year and to my eyes he's far less impressive of a prospect than Walker. Expect to see plenty of him on the sideline but he (and we) should get a taste of the future as well, skinny or not.
If there's a WR who might not play this year it's probably Morris if he's still recovering from that injury. I expect to see Walker out there but not an important piece enough to burn the redshirt option.
LANK