Expectations: DT Vance Walker

It’s fun to look into the crystal ball and try to guess what a certain player will become. Will Sean Weatherspoon become a big-time player? Will Kerry Meier develop into a dangerous slot receiver?

I wanted to take it a step further and see exactly which current or former NFL player the draftee compares to. Using the data from CBS Sports, I took a look at the 26 draft picks the Falcons have made in the Dimitroff-Smith era and reviewed their NFL comparison according to the experts at CBS.

Hit the jump for more Falcons goodness.

Of the 26 draft picks, comparisons were only available for 11 players, so we’ll start there. Since this is July and we have a month to kill before training camp, we’ll sprinkle these breakdowns throughout July.

Today’s Expectation Breakdown: Vance Walker

Walker was drafted out of Georgia Tech in the 7th round of the 2009 draft (210th overall). He played in 10 games last season, starting one, and recorded eight tackles.

NFL Comparison (when drafted): Tank Tyler

"From CBS: Walker will work in the trenches and has a good bull rush, but does struggle to recognize blocking schemes and locate the ball on the move. When he stays low in his pads, he shows enough power in the lower body to stack and defeat the one-on-one blocks. There is no question that he plays with good effort and desire, but outside of the short area, his lack of speed prevents him from making plays in long pursuit."

What It Means

Tyler was a 3rd round draft pick for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. He was traded in October 2009 to the Carolina Panthers. He’s played in 43 games, starting 19, and averaged 2.1 tackles.

Tyler was a full-time starter for the Chiefs and could compete for a starting job in Carolina. Walker is buried on the depth chart currently and won’t have the same opportunity Tyler enjoys. I’d like to see Walker enjoy the same limited success Tyler has but not sure he’ll be able to realize his full potential.

What say you? Is Walker destined to be a 3rd stringer if all starters are healthy? Does he have the talent to move up the depth chart? Let me know in the comments.