Indianapolis Colts linebacker Anthony Walker enjoyed a solid bounce-back season from his rookie campaign that was littered with injuries to quietly become a heavy contributor in the middle of the defense.
While Darius Leonard gets most of the credit in the linebacker room (rightfully so), Walker was no slouch either. He provided constant help in the run game while serving as a running mate with the aforementioned All-Pro.
In 15 games (14 starts), Walker compiled 105 tackles (69 solo), 10 tackles for loss, four passes defended, one interception and 1.0 sack.
The Northwestern product entered his second season with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. As a fifth-round pick in 2017, Walker solidified his role as the MIKE linebacker in a defensive scheme that rarely used three linebackers.
Walker was solid against the run, but there are some areas in coverage he could stand to improve. Being disciplined in his zone assignments are something he will likely be looking to improve upon for Year 3.
The Colts have a strong linebacker duo in Leonard and Walker. The latter proved in 2018 to be a strong running mate and a building block in a young defense that truly outperformed all expectations.
The Colts might be looking to add some depth to the linebacker corps this offseason, but Walker’s role has clearly been defined after a strong 2018 season.
