April 26, 2025 • 6 mins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outside Linebacker David Walker spoke to the media during his introductory press conference after being selected 121st overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. OLB Walker emphasized his love for the game, his excitement to play with teammates OLB Yaya Diaby & OLB Haason Reddick and his pride in continuing his family’s legacy alongside his brother.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Yeah, you're live in the backfield.
Speaker 3 (00:02):
Just kind of what drives you to that kind of
production and just how are you feeling right now?
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Yeah? Man, I've my faith. Man, I'm big. I'm big
on my faith.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
And just seeing how the Lord has provided and has
brought me this far, it's exciting.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You returned. You could have left last year Central Arkansas.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
You returned this year to to kind of try to
build your legacy and also the chance to play with
with your brother.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
How special was that for you? What was that like?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
And obviously you know you you look at what you
accomplished there more tackles for loss, double legit sacks again,
how how is it you know returning?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Was that the right choice for you?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Yes? I feel like.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
It was.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
It was the best choice for me.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Getting a chance to play with my brother, getting a
chance to put on that purple, put on that purple
one more time. And man, like you said, the legacy
when football is over, I'll be forever remembered at U
c A just because of the records and the things
that I did there, and that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Eighty two tackles for lost in four years, That's that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
You know, So what's a secret to your success?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
What?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Why is that you're able to live in other team's
backfields like that?
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah, summer off the summer, that's the thing, man, my
style linebacker coach, we work on. We work on the
small details, the things that people miss and and I
feel like, man, just refining those tools every year, it's
helped me every year.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I improved every year. So now I'm gonna keep doing that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Your lettered in basketball and soccer in high school. How
do you think playing those two sports, being a multi
sport athlete helped you become the football player you are
and what led you to ultimately sticking with football is
your ultimate choice?
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Soccer, man, Soccer is full work and you need and
you got to have some good food work to play
the position that I play. And then basketball, man, it's
just the movement of the game, like crossing over, like
doing the one two like that.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Football is basketball on grass.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
So just being able to those sports and being able
just to see how I do those things on the
field as well, it helped me a lot.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
David, your last season you had four forced bumbles. How
much of an emphasis of your game is just knocking
the ball out of the hands of the quarterback, creating
turnovers and being a ball hall for your team.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Our coach man every year we worked We worked ball
jews every year, I mean every day during practice. So
just seeing that come to the game and going into
the game, he was like, man, these guys are holding
the ball a little loose.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I want you out of going in there, and we
punched it out.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
So we practiced that every day leading up to that
game and I had three and one game, so it
was crazy.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Have the Bucks spoken with you about, you know, what
role they foresee for you this year?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Uh? No, sir, but I'm willing. I'm willing to do anything.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
You had a formal interview with them at the combine,
But were there what was up the communication?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Like who did you speak to? Mostly? What was that?
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Like?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I spoke to most of the the defensive coordinator and
the outside linebacker coach, and man, it was it was
It was a just being able to speak to the
to the to the coaches and just pick their brain
and how they're wired and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
And it's been cool.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
You're joining a adjusting the room with some young stand
out players like yeah, yea, but also Son Reddick.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Who's been extremely productive in the NFL his career. How
exciting is it.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
For you to kind of join a room with that
talent and looking forward to learning from this guys.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
It's it's exciting.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Like you said, how Son Reddick, Man, he's at crazy
years and yeah, yeah, man, he's just he's just a stud.
So being able to go into that room and just
learn from them guys and uh get out their wing
and see how they're how they cooperating, how they lead
themselves on the field and all the field. I feel
it's gonna be big from our game.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Questions about your game were was the level of competition
Your got an invitation to the Senior Bowl. You accepted it,
and I think you did a pretty good job of
quelling those concerns. Just talk about that experience, being able
to go up against some of the top competition, how
it fueled you iron sharpens iron and and how you
felt like you did there overall during that week.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
It was an honor just to get invited to play
against the top talent in the world and just going there.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Leading up to that week, man, I was just.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Just wanted to show the world that I belong that
just because of the division that I'm in and the
people that I played. Man, the FCS has some good
talent too. But just going there and just showing that
that I belonged, it was.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
It was.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
It was a good feeling.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Just boosted my confidence showing that I can compete with
these guys and that I can play at the next level.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So, man, I took.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I took a lot from there, and I learned a
lot from the NFL coaches as well.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
And then you got that combine and invite. What was
that like? What was that moment for you?
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Like?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It was a it was a dream come true? You
know as a kid. I mean that's what you dream.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
That's what you watch the guys at the combine and
seeing how how's us orchestrated and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
It was it was just a real moment.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
We'll just say the best part of your game is what?
What what separates you from others?
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Man?
Speaker 4 (04:52):
I say my effort just just running to the ball,
chasing down the ball backside, and and my pastors too.
I feel like I have an instinct for when to
go in and win, to go out.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, I just I just love ball.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Is there anyone who modeled your game after or watch
tape of and and try to kind of shack Barrett
was here, you know, a little undersized ed rusher. Obviously
you mentioned Hassan Reddick is here. Is there someone that.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You kind of look at and all yes, yes, sir,
I'm a big James Harrison guy. Okay, Brendon Graham.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I like Brandon Graham and the last one, I'll say
els Elvis Duomerville.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
The same size. Guys. Fine, what's your what's your ability?
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
How do you feel like you're able to pass a
drop in pass coverage?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Is it something that you're asked to do a lot there?
Is it something that you're comfortable with?
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Yeah, I'm comfortable with it my past two years here,
That's all I did was draw back coaches one, just
showcase that just in case they needed that, and just
starting to be bursted on the line, so they.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Helped a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Is that where the sixth pass deflections came from?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yes, sir, okay, I wasn't sure if there are bat
balls or if they were.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Do you have a message for the care at the
Bucks fans watching this?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Yeah? Man, I'm excited. I'm excited to be a book.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
It's a great organization and man, I'm willing to do
anything to contribute. Y'all gonna get a guy, A guy
to me that's gonna be a set up guy. I've
got a great effort and hopefully I can bring the
energy that y'all need.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Awesome, Thanks appreciate, yes sir, Thank y'all.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Yeah, you're live in the backfield.
Speaker 3 (00:02):
Just kind of what drives you to that kind of
production and just how are you feeling right now?
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Yeah? Man, I've my faith. Man, I'm big. I'm big
on my faith.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
And just seeing how the Lord has provided and has
brought me this far, it's exciting.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You returned. You could have left last year Central Arkansas.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
You returned this year to to kind of try to
build your legacy and also the chance to play with
with your brother.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
How special was that for you? What was that like?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
And obviously you know you you look at what you
accomplished there more tackles for loss, double legit sacks again,
how how is it you know returning?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Was that the right choice for you?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Yes? I feel like.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
It was.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
It was the best choice for me.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Getting a chance to play with my brother, getting a
chance to put on that purple, put on that purple
one more time. And man, like you said, the legacy
when football is over, I'll be forever remembered at U
c A just because of the records and the things
that I did there, and that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Eighty two tackles for lost in four years, That's that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
You know, So what's a secret to your success?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
What?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Why is that you're able to live in other team's
backfields like that?
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah, summer off the summer, that's the thing, man, my
style linebacker coach, we work on. We work on the
small details, the things that people miss and and I
feel like, man, just refining those tools every year, it's
helped me every year.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I improved every year. So now I'm gonna keep doing that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Your lettered in basketball and soccer in high school. How
do you think playing those two sports, being a multi
sport athlete helped you become the football player you are
and what led you to ultimately sticking with football is
your ultimate choice?
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Soccer, man, Soccer is full work and you need and
you got to have some good food work to play
the position that I play. And then basketball, man, it's
just the movement of the game, like crossing over, like
doing the one two like that.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Football is basketball on grass.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
So just being able to those sports and being able
just to see how I do those things on the
field as well, it helped me a lot.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
David, your last season you had four forced bumbles. How
much of an emphasis of your game is just knocking
the ball out of the hands of the quarterback, creating
turnovers and being a ball hall for your team.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Our coach man every year we worked We worked ball
jews every year, I mean every day during practice. So
just seeing that come to the game and going into
the game, he was like, man, these guys are holding
the ball a little loose.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I want you out of going in there, and we
punched it out.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
So we practiced that every day leading up to that
game and I had three and one game, so it
was crazy.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Have the Bucks spoken with you about, you know, what
role they foresee for you this year?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Uh? No, sir, but I'm willing. I'm willing to do anything.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
You had a formal interview with them at the combine,
But were there what was up the communication?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Like who did you speak to? Mostly? What was that?
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Like?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I spoke to most of the the defensive coordinator and
the outside linebacker coach, and man, it was it was
It was a just being able to speak to the
to the to the coaches and just pick their brain
and how they're wired and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
And it's been cool.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
You're joining a adjusting the room with some young stand
out players like yeah, yea, but also Son Reddick.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Who's been extremely productive in the NFL his career. How
exciting is it.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
For you to kind of join a room with that
talent and looking forward to learning from this guys.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
It's it's exciting.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Like you said, how Son Reddick, Man, he's at crazy
years and yeah, yeah, man, he's just he's just a stud.
So being able to go into that room and just
learn from them guys and uh get out their wing
and see how they're how they cooperating, how they lead
themselves on the field and all the field. I feel
it's gonna be big from our game.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Questions about your game were was the level of competition
Your got an invitation to the Senior Bowl. You accepted it,
and I think you did a pretty good job of
quelling those concerns. Just talk about that experience, being able
to go up against some of the top competition, how
it fueled you iron sharpens iron and and how you
felt like you did there overall during that week.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
It was an honor just to get invited to play
against the top talent in the world and just going there.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Leading up to that week, man, I was just.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Just wanted to show the world that I belong that
just because of the division that I'm in and the
people that I played. Man, the FCS has some good
talent too. But just going there and just showing that
that I belonged, it was.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
It was.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
It was a good feeling.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Just boosted my confidence showing that I can compete with
these guys and that I can play at the next level.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So, man, I took.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
I took a lot from there, and I learned a
lot from the NFL coaches as well.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
And then you got that combine and invite. What was
that like? What was that moment for you?
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Like?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It was a it was a dream come true? You
know as a kid. I mean that's what you dream.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
That's what you watch the guys at the combine and
seeing how how's us orchestrated and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
It was it was just a real moment.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
We'll just say the best part of your game is what?
What what separates you from others?
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Man?
Speaker 4 (04:52):
I say my effort just just running to the ball,
chasing down the ball backside, and and my pastors too.
I feel like I have an instinct for when to
go in and win, to go out.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, I just I just love ball.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Is there anyone who modeled your game after or watch
tape of and and try to kind of shack Barrett
was here, you know, a little undersized ed rusher. Obviously
you mentioned Hassan Reddick is here. Is there someone that.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You kind of look at and all yes, yes, sir,
I'm a big James Harrison guy. Okay, Brendon Graham.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I like Brandon Graham and the last one, I'll say
els Elvis Duomerville.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
The same size. Guys. Fine, what's your what's your ability?
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
How do you feel like you're able to pass a
drop in pass coverage?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Is it something that you're asked to do a lot there?
Is it something that you're comfortable with?
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Yeah, I'm comfortable with it my past two years here,
That's all I did was draw back coaches one, just
showcase that just in case they needed that, and just
starting to be bursted on the line, so they.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Helped a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Is that where the sixth pass deflections came from?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yes, sir, okay, I wasn't sure if there are bat
balls or if they were.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Do you have a message for the care at the
Bucks fans watching this?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Yeah? Man, I'm excited. I'm excited to be a book.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
It's a great organization and man, I'm willing to do
anything to contribute. Y'all gonna get a guy, A guy
to me that's gonna be a set up guy. I've
got a great effort and hopefully I can bring the
energy that y'all need.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Awesome, Thanks appreciate, yes sir, Thank y'all.
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