Indoctrination into the NFL is a fast and furious process for rookies. Fortunately for new Denver Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Walker, he’s coming from a football program that has him well-prepared for the rigors of the NFL. He also knows that he has some excellent veteran mentors he can learn from now that he’s donning the orange and blue.
Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro of Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 caught up with Walker following Saturday’s rookie orientation practice to get the Florida State product’s thoughts on his first on-field experience as an NFL player. The consensus All-American has been through the draft, the signing process, met with the media and had plenty of classroom time, but the reality of being an NFL player didn’t really set in until he took the field.
“Today it did,” Walker said. “Just getting out there, knowing the intensity, the speed and everything.”
Walker said that the intensity of the workouts with the Broncos compared with his experience at Florida State, one of the premier football programs in the country. That should bode well for his transition from the college to the pro game, where he’ll be joining one of the top defensive units in football.
As a defensive end, Walker will be asked to help improve a run defense that took a significant step back in 2016 from the unit that won the Super Bowl following the 2015 season. When asked about his role in that task, Walker wasn’t going to overstate his goals with Goodman and Shapiro.
“I just want to come out here and earn [other] players’ and coaches’ respect,” he said.
As for which of his new teammates he’s most looking forward to learning from, Walker picked an excellent run defender and pass rusher who just happens to also play defensive end – Derek Wolfe.
Listen to the full interview with Walker in the podcast below.
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