Last year Clemson went into North Carolina and pulled out linebacker Trenton Simpson. He made an immediate impact and his future looks bright. The Tigers are now in heavy pursuit of another top linebacker in North Carolina in Jalon Walker of Salisbury. He’s rated a four-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite and is ranked #4 nationally among outside linebackers.
Walker has been working with a short list of Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama and Auburn. And he was just offered by Miami on Wednesday. He’s been doing the various communications with the staffs, and Clemson has been as active as any of them.
I am trying to take all of the information I can get on these Zoom calls and all of the information I can get via text and email,” Walker said. “I hear from Clemson a lot, probably every day. I hear from Coach (Brent) Venables and I hear from Coach (Todd) Bates and I hear from Coach (Mike) Reed. I hear from the guys on the defensive staff. They are fired up about me. We have had a great connection over the past four years now since I started going to camp there. They have told me to just enjoy the process and they want me to enjoy it as much as I can. They are excited about me and are willing to welcome me into their program.”
Walker said he’s also had some one-on-one virtual time with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.
“I talked to Coach Swinney last week, and we talked twice. He is fired up as well,” Walker said. “I met Coach Swinney way back in 2018, and he is excited about me and willing to bring me into his program. I know he coaches his program to be the best it can be and he is willing to make me a part of it. Those guys are really close with all of the players and personnel and staff and they are always willing to help out with any aspect of it, whether it is life during football or life after football or keeping your body right.”
There’s been a belief in recruiting circles that Walker is about ready to make his decision. But, he’s not ready to commit on when he’ll announce a commitment.
“At this point I don’t whether I want to go ahead and commit to the school I want to commit to, or just file it down to three if I had to file it down,” Walker said. “Clemson might make that final three. I am now down to a final five schools and I might just do that next. I have a couple of spots I would like to get to before I make a decision and Clemson would be one of those spots.”
Walker did not have a falls season in 2020 but hopes to play this spring after his basketball season. In 2019 he totaled 121 tackles, eight tackles for loss, eight hurries, six pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
