Derel Walker

Photos Courtesy: Edmonton Eskimos

Photos Courtesy: Texas A&M University Athletics

Derel Walker was born on June 29, 1991. Walker was a multi-sport athlete while attending Hillsboro High School, participating in football, basketball, baseball, track, and powerlifting. He was selected to the 2008 Super Centex team for his accomplishments on the football field.

Derel walked on to play for head football coach Brad Smiley at Trinity Valley Community College in 2010. In his two seasons (2010 and 2011) at TVCC he caught forty-four passes for 864 yards and ten touchdowns. Derel started five games as a freshman helping his team to the second round of the playoffs in 2010. The team went 8-3 in 2011 and advanced again to the second round of the playoffs. He was selected as the Citizens Bank Bowl Offensive Player of the game in 2011. Walker was rated as the number thirty-three junior college player nationally and the number six wide receiver by SuperPrep.

In 2012, Walker committed to play at Texas A&M. During his two seasons at Texas A&M (2012 & 2013), Walker caught fifty-nine passes for 903 yards and five touchdowns. In the 2013 season he was ranked tenth in the SEC in both receiving yards and receiving yards per reception. He had a great game in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Walker was signed by the Tennessee Titans in 2014 as a free agent where he was released on the final cut. He then played for the Omaha Mammoths of the Fall Experimental Football League.

Derel signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League in April of 2015. He was placed on the practice roster and activated in August. He made his professional debut on August 13, 2015 against the Montreal Alouettes. He had ten catches for 125 yards. Walker would finish the season with eighty-nine catches for 1, 110 yards and six touchdowns. Derel was named the 2015 CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and the Eskimos won the league becoming the 103rd Grey Cup Champions. During the season Walker was selected as the August Player of the Month, three-time Player of the Week, West-Division All-Star, and CFL All-Star. Walker also earned Western Division All-Star and CFL All-Star status in the 2016 season.

Derel then signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January 2017. He remained with the team until his release in September. Upon his release he re-signed with Edmonton. At the time of printing, the Eskimos have qualified for the post-season. Derel currently has forty-eight receptions for 634 yards and two touchdowns with an average of 13.2 yards per catch.