Deone Walker was selected in the fourth round, with the 109th overall of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
Rising from Detroit to make his mark on Lexington’s gridiron, Walker transformed his multi-sport roots into a dominant three-year run as Kentucky’s defensive anchor, now eyeing an NFL future.
The Michigan native anchored Kentucky’s defensive line with the same grit that defined his upbringing.
Born to Nikita and Sanquanettra Walker, Deone honed his competitive edge as a multi-sport athlete, balancing football with basketball at Cass Tech High School, where he played center and developed the agility that defines his game.
A three-year letterwinner who started in 36 of 37 career games played, including 35 straight in three seasons with the Wildcats, Walker earned First Team All-SEC honors in 2023, a testament to his growth under Head Coach Mark Stoops.
His standout moment came in a 33-14 rout of No. 22 Florida, where he disrupted their offense and recorded two tackles, an eight-yard sack, and a crucial pass breakup that led to an interception and set up a Wildcats touchdown, helping limit the Gators to 14 points and 313 yards.
Totaled 132 career tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks along with 13 quarterback hurries, six pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
At the NFL Combine, he graded a 6.34, marking him as a potential starter despite a 5.28 40-yard dash. Drawn to Kentucky because it felt like home, Walker now aims to bring that same comfort to the Bills defense alongside his Kentucky teammates Maxwell Hairston, who was drafted in the first round by Buffalo.
