Deone Walker Named Preseason Walter Camp All-American
Kentucky junior defensive tackle Deone Walker continues to pile up the preseason accolades as he was named a Preseason Second Team All-American by Walter Camp, it was announced Monday.
Walter Camp is the nation’s oldest college football All-America team. Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side.
Walker, a 6-foot-6, 348-pound defensive lineman from Detroit, is coming off a sensational sophomore season in 2023. Despite battling frequent double teams, he led the Blue and White in tackles for loss (12.5), quarterback sacks (7.5) and quarterback hurries (8). He also added two pass breakups, including one in Kentucky’s win over Florida on Sept. 30, which was intercepted by UK and returned to the UF 15-yard line that led to an eventual touchdown.
The Wildcat was named one of seven permanent team captains last season, as he went on to play in and start all 13 games. In fact, he improved his streak of 24 straight starts, a stretch dating back to his freshman season in 2022. Walker, who also was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurksi and Outland Trophy Watch Lists in 2023, set or tied single-game career highs in every category last season, including recording nine tackles at South Carolina, 4.0 tackles for loss (-7 yards) at Missouri, 1.0 sacks (-6 yards) last at South Carolina, one pass breakup last at Georgia and two quarterback hurries (-10 yards) against EKU.
Walker was recently named to the 2024 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List and has also earned preseason second-team All-America nods from Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.
The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.
Typically announced in early December, the Walter Camp All-America teams are selected by the FBS head coaches and sports information directors.
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