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Deone Walker is starting to stand out at training camp among the entire Buffalo Bills defensive roster as the team reshapes its defensive tackle rotation ahead of the 2025 season. The rookie lineman, taken with the 109th overall pick in this year's draft, is already making an impression lining up next to veteran Ed Oliver on the interior.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing over 330 pounds, Walker brings a rare blend of size and athleticism. Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich praised the rookie's physical gifts, noting,
“People that are his size shouldn't be able to do some of the things he does.” Still, Babich emphasized that consistency will be key, warning that “But again, just like T.J., we need some consistency, because if we don't get the dancing bear, all that type of stuff, it doesn't matter.”
Walker enters a room full of talent with Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, DeWayne Carter, and Larry Ogunjobi. Carter, a third-round selection (2024), showed potential as a rookie and will need to raise his game to earn playing time. Ogunjobi is a free agency signing brought in to add competition in the rotation. He will miss the first six games of the season due to a suspension for a PED, giving Walker and fellow rookie T.J. Sanders early opportunities.
At Kentucky, Walker earned All-SEC honors for three straight seasons, including in 2024 while playing through a stress fracture in his back. That year, he recorded 37 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two pass breakups across 11 starts. The Bills traded up in the draft to select him, confident that his physical profile could help shore up a position underperforming last year.
While his raw talent has already caught the coaching staff's attention, the Bills are clear that Walker's development will take time. With a mix of proven veterans and emerging young players in the room, the team is counting on internal competition to raise the bar for its defensive front this season.
