Quay Walker
JaQuavian Jy'Quese "Quay" Walker is an American professional football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Packers in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Early life
Walker was born on May 8, 2000, in Cordele, Georgia. He attended Crisp County High School, where he had 109 tackles, eight sacks, and an interception as a junior. Walker was rated a four-star recruit and initially committed to play college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide before his senior year in 2017, but changed to Georgia in early 2018.College career
Walker played in all 14 of Georgia's games during his freshman season and had six total tackles. He saw increased playing time as a sophomore and finished the season with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Walker finished as Georgia's fourth-leading tackler with 43 in his junior season.Professional career
2022
Walker was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. The Packers previously acquired the pick in a trade that sent Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. On May 6, 2022, he signed his rookie contract.Walker was ejected in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills after an altercation with the Bills' coaching staff, following a play where Walker made a tackle on Buffalo's sideline. In Week 12, during a 40–33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Walker scooped up a fumble forced by teammate Rudy Ford on Eagles wide receiver A. J. Brown and returned it 63 yards to put the Packers in scoring position. Walker was ejected for the second time in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions after shoving a member of the Lions' medical staff, becoming the only player since the 2000 NFL season to be ejected more than once in a single season.
Walker played all 17 games in his rookie campaign, finishing the season with a team-high 121 total tackles. He also recorded a team-high three forced fumbles, as well as 1.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. For his efforts, he was named to the 2022 PFWA All-Rookie Team.