The top 100 FSU football players: No. 38— defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker

DeMarcus Walker attended Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Florida, committing to play college ball at Alabama before switching to Florida State.

As a true freshman at Florida State way back in 2013, Walker played in twelve games and started three. He finished that year with 18 total tackles and one sack as FSU went undefeated with a national championship.

In 2014 FSU again went undefeated in the regular season, but Walker’s role increased. He started eleven games, recording 38 tackles, including six for a loss, and again just one sack.

But as a Junior in 2015 Walker had his breakout season. He racked up 57 tackles, including 14 for a loss of 62 yards, a whopping eleven sacks that accounted for another 57 yards, four forced fumbles, an interception, five pass breakups, and one foreshadowing blocked kick against the Florida Gators. Whew. What’s crazy about his eleven sacks is Walker didn’t record any in his first three games — or in four other games later that season — they all came in just six games. He was the first FSU player to record double-digit sacks since Bjoern Werner in 2012. He was the first Seminole to block a kick since 2010. Walker earned a second team All-ACC nod and co-Defensive MVP of the team.

So what could Walker do as an encore that could possibly live up to the hype he now had?

How about open the 2016 season by sacking Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly 4.5 times along with a forced fumble as FSU completed the largest comeback in school history?

Walker earned National Player of the Week honors for that performance.

How about clinching Florida State’s seventh consecutive win against the Miami Hurricanes by blocking a freaking extra point by a kicker that had made 72 extra points in a row?

The block single-handedly launched that game into the annals of history of the storied rivalry; it will forever be known as the Block at the Rock.

Walker was dominant, playing both inside and outside. But it didn’t matter where he lined up. He was un-blockable. He finished his final regular season game against the Gators with two fumble recoveries and two sacks. Then in his final game at the Orange Bowl against Michigan Walker recorded four more tackles for loss and another sack. He finished the season with a total of 68 tackles, including 21.5 for a loss, three forced fumbles, two recoveries, and an inhuman 16 sacks. Oh yeah, and that blocked kick. Walker was named a consensus All-American for his efforts, along with also being named first team All-ACC, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and a Lombardi Award Semi-finalist.

His 16 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss as a senior were each the third-most ever in a single season at FSU. His sacks were also the second-highest mark in the nation that year. Walker ranks third all-time at FSU in career sacks with 28.5 and third all-time in career tackles for loss with 45. He went 4-0 against both Florida and Miami. Here’s more of his career highlights.

Walker was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft with the 51st overall pick by the Denver Broncos.