Introduction
Mykal Walker (born August 28, 1997) is an American professional football linebacker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Azusa Pacific Cougars and Fresno State Bulldogs and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft. Walker has also been a member of the Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
College career
Walker played two seasons at Azusa Pacific University before transferring to Fresno State. In 2019, he had 91 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5 pass deflections. Walker finished his two seasons at Fresno State with 182 tackles including 22.5 tackles for a loss, 10 pass defenses and 6.5 sacks. Walker was named a two-time First-team All-Mountain West Conference selection, along with being named the Defensive MVP during the 2018 Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game. Walker ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 230 lb (104 kg) | 32+1⁄2 in (0.83 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.65 s | 1.62 s | 2.73 s | 4.25 s | 7.09 s | 33.0 in (0.84 m) | 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) | 20 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Atlanta Falcons
Walker was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 119th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
In Week 14 of the 2021 season, Walker intercepted Cam Newton and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown in a 29-21 win over the Carolina Panthers.
On August 13, 2023, the Falcons waived Walker.
Chicago Bears
On August 14, 2023, the Chicago Bears claimed Walker off waivers. He was waived on August 29, 2023.
Las Vegas Raiders
On September 19, 2023, Walker signed with the practice squad of the Las Vegas Raiders. He was released on October 24.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On October 30, 2023, Walker signed with the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers. On November 18, he was signed to the Steelers' active roster.
Washington Commanders
On April 2, 2024, Walker signed with the Washington Commanders.
Personal life
Mykal Walker has a twin brother Malyk. Their father, Michael, played for the Fresno State Bulldogs football team and subsequently joined the New England Patriots, but never played at the NFL level. Michael died of colon cancer in 2012. Mykal Walker's first child, a son, was born in December 2021. His cousin is former NFL football running-back Maurice Jones-Drew.