2023 Season Countdown: #32 Amorion Walker

 

Amorion Walker (image via MLive)

Name: Amorion Walker
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Ponchatoula (LA) Ponchatoula
Position: Cornerback
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #4
Last year: I ranked Walker #94 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in six games and caught 1 pass for 4 yards.
TTB Rating: 81

Walker had quite a freshman year for Michigan, at least from the standpoint of potential. Wide receivers coach Ronald Bellamy and cornerbacks coach Steve Clinkscale fought over him. Jim Harbaugh said he was 157 pounds when he got to campus, so he has put on at least 23 pounds since then. Michigan couldn't figure out which side of the ball to play him on, so naturally, they played him on both sides. He caught 1 pass for 4 yards during the blowout of UConn, and he played both wideout and cornerback against Hawaii.

This spring Harbaugh went as far as to say that he considered Walker to be a starter. Unfortunately, in the spring game, Walker looked a long way from being a starting-caliber corner. He was beaten multiple times by walk-on receiver Peyton O'Leary, and while O'Leary looks like a legitimate threat for playing time this fall, it's not so much that Walker was beaten - it's that he looked flummoxed while doing it. He had a hand-timed shuttle of 6.10 seconds, video of which was posted online, so athletically he's perfectly capable of staying with almost anyone. But his reaction time and recognition of routes aren't where they need to be, and he wasn't physical enough yet in the spring. Perhaps his potential is sky-high, but I think he's at least a year away from being a quality cornerback. Luckily, Michigan landed UMass transfer Josh Wallace to challenge him, along with guys like Ja'Den McBurrows and Keshaun Harris, who are already on the roster. I do think Walker will start at some point this season, but I don't expect him to lock down the job, at least not early in the year.

Prediction: Part-time starting cornerback