'16 NJ RB - Kareem Walker (South Alabama Transfer)

WALKER DROPS AFTER SUBPAR CAMP PERFORMANCE
Following Nike's The Opening regionals in New Jersey a few weeksago,247Sports.com has dropped Kareem Walker in their prospect rankings. Now the country's second-ranked back in the composite rankings, the explanation for the drop is simple and to the point.
Walker is still ranked as the No. 3 running back in the nation but he didn't show the kind of elite ability that we've seen from comparable backs that have been ranked in that Top100 or Top50 range. With his drop, there are only two running backs ranked in the Top100 nationally on 247Sports. Walker is now ranked No. 106 nationally.
Walker is not really the type of player who is ever going to blow away people in a camp setting because it doesn't really motivate him, fuel him or illustrate the strengths of his game; namely his aggressiveness and the physical nature with which he runs.
"I didn't see that they dropped me," Walker said. "But I don't really care, either. I care that my parents don't have to pay for me to go to college, I play for the scholarship opportunities not a ranking. Making a catch out of the backfield in a camp doesn't mean you're going to make a big catch with five seconds left in the fourth quarter and people put a lot of stock into that. Some guys are camp players, some guys are on-the-field players, I'll see where they put me when the season comes back around."
The tape on Walker doesn't lie, and there's a reason he was the top priority of the Ohio State coaching staff at running back from the time they saw him. He fits the Buckeye offense perfectly and is a player that they absolutely feel is a "must keep" moving forward.

 

Walker is always impressive: Wayne (N.J.) star and Ohio State commit Kareem Walker is the No. 1 rated running ... http://t.co/q9XWBQi9dD

— Big Me Kickoff (@BigMe_Kickoff) May 22, 2015

 

5-star #OSU commit Kareem Walker’s highlights back up his no. 1 RB ranking. #Buckeyes http://t.co/bq37uFhe77 pic.twitter.com/GiWjAP4sNZ

— Rivals (@Rivals) May 25, 2015

 

NEW JERSEY GROUP PLANS TO MAKE TENNESSEE VISIT
One of the most interesting elements of the 2016 recruiting class for Ohio State will be the challenge to keep Kareem Walker, the nation's top-ranked running back, in the commitment column all the way through next February. Ohio State has had to hold off a number of suitors for Walker, but the most recent discussion surrounding the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder might be the most interesting yet.
Per the reliable Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.com, Walker – as well as the other members of New Jersey's top five 2016 prospects – will visit Tennessee the weekend of June 19th, checking out Rocky Top for a few days. The leader of the group is no doubt Volunteer commitment Jarrett Guarantano, and he's doing everything he can to bring his close friends with him to Knoxville, and each of them is still a major Buckeye target: Rashan Gary, Ahmir Mitchell and Jordan Fuller are expected to make the trip to Tennessee as well. The Buckeyes are thought to be in the lead group for each of those three prospects, and many think they're the current team to beat for Mitchell and Fuller.
The Volunteers are not a team to take lightly when it comes to recruiting, they've proven to be very effective in communicating their message to a number of big-time prospects in the last few years and Butch Jones' staff is young, energetic and very savvy. Tennessee has a unique situation to offer recruits and a rich football history, so this visit – if it happens as expected – isn't one to dismiss. Still, the Buckeyes would rather see Walker visit Tennessee than say, Alabama, who also continue to recruit the five-star running back aggressively.

 

🌟 WELCOME TO THE 5-STAR #RIVALSCHALLENGE 🌟

5-star RB @_KareemWalker is #5StarBound!

Roster: http://t.co/Dn5EazInkN pic.twitter.com/U7jctir4N2

— Rivals Camp Series (@RivalsCamp) May 27, 2015

 

Kareem Walker Visiting Auburn, Alabama and What it Means http://t.co/fg3oG0wMb1 via @11W

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) May 31, 2015

 

LET'S TALK KAREEM WALKER...AGAIN
As mentioned yesterday, Ohio State commit Kareem Walker spent the weekend in SEC territory, checking out both Auburn and Alabama. Walker was a surprise visitor at Auburn's "Big Cat Weekend" and ended up spending the night on Saturday.
Today, he traveled west to Tuscaloosa and spent some time camping at Alabama. The reports from Auburn and Bama are about what one would expect: he enjoyed the time talking to the coaches, bonding with other recruits/commits, etc.
If you are someone who gets worked up about these kinds of things, then Walker's recruitment is one that you will want to steer clear of. We have said it many times and will say it again: Kareem Walker is going to take visits. He has already visited Rutgers, now Bama and Auburn, and he will almost assuredly make a trip to Tennessee later this month with the rest of the New Jersey crew.
Is that reason enough to worry over his status with Ohio State? Probably not, but the Tennessee visit is certainly something to watch. Jarrett Guarantano's commitment to UT could help them out with some of the Jersey talent, but it's way too early to say exactly how much it can help.
All of that being said, Walker still has plans to visit Ohio State this summer and the staff was made aware of his intentions to visit Auburn and Alabama before he made the trip this weekend. He is saying all the right things when interviewed and on Twitter, but Urban Meyer, Tony Alford and Ed Warinner will surely be spending a lot of time in New Jersey between now and February.

 

KAREEM WALKER, MEYER TALK FUTURE PLANS
Last weekend, to the chagrin of Buckeye fans everywhere, the top-ranked player in Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class made a couple of big visits in the heart of the South. Kareem Walker made the trek south to Auburn and Alabama and while not much has been said of the trips (Walker is incredibly private) the Buckeyes have been in contact with him a few times this week, including Urban Meyer last night.
Misspelling of his future coach's name aside, Meyer talking to Walker directly – as opposed to him speaking with his regular recruiters like Ed Warinner or Tony Alford – underscores how valuable the country's top-ranked running back is to the Buckeyes. The pair discussed the future for Walker at Ohio State, and Meyer's message to his future star tailback was direct and to the point.
"He told me he just needs me to be focused," Walker, who is still trying to enroll early for the Buckeyes, told Eleven Warriors. "He is just telling me to be ready to go when I come in."
Walker has, at the very least, decided what number he'll don when he arrives in Columbus.

 

#Buckeyes RB commit Kareem Walker (@_KareemWalker) was on campus today. Nation’s top-ranked RB. pic.twitter.com/bKsSn14MzF

— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) June 20, 2015

 

KAREEM WALKER TAKES IN THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Late last night, Ohio State 2016 commitment Kareem Walker announced on Twitter he was making a surprise trip to Columbus.
The Buckeyes' running back pledge, the nation's top-ranked running back, made it to campus early this morning after driving through the night with his mother. Walker spent most of the day with running back coach Tony Alford. He also spent considerable time in the early part of the day with Ohio State junior-to-be Ezekiel Elliott.
In the afternoon, Walker was all over the campus, including a stop on the practice fields, in the running back "room" with Alford and of course, Urban Meyer. He also was seen talking to Ohio State commitment Jake Hausmann, who camped with the Buckeyes in the afternoon session and got to meet Tristen Wallace, Tyler Gerald and Danny Clark for the first time.

 

Kareem Walker not at #TheOpening #Buckeyes https://t.co/MlD7fGX7nr

— JC Shurburtt (@jcshurburtt) July 8, 2015

 

Top OSU commit not in Oregon
The Buckeyes were expected to have five members of their 2016 recruiting class in attendance at The Opening. However, '16 RB Kareem Walker was not able to make the trip. According to Barton Simmons of 247Sports, the DePaul Catholic (NJ) star didn't make his flight to Oregon. Simmons continued by saying the 6'1, 210-pounder is also dealing with a sprained ankle and was not expecting to participate in any events anyway.

 

WALKER TALKS ABOUT MISSING THE OPENING, PREPARING FOR OHIO STATE
Ohio State running back commitment Kareem Walker, the country's top-ranked running back, was supposed to be in Oregon for The Opening this week but a slight change in plans meant a missed week with Nike.
"I missed my flight," Walker told Eleven Warriors. "I don't have a phone right now, my screen went all black on me, so I couldn't contact anyone."
While missing the opportunity in Oregon is, at the very least, a bummer, Walker says he would not have been working out anyway as he recovers from a slightly tweaked ankle. He's also focusing a bit on the bigger picture as it pertains to his future.
"My ankle is going to be ok, but I wasn't going to camp," he said while leaving an ACT prep course. "I'll be ready for my preseason so it's nothing that I'm worried about. For me, missing the ACT classes would be a bigger deal than missing The Opening. Nike is going to send me the gear I'm supposed to get, so that's fine. Getting ready for college is big for me, I need to use the summer to prepare myself because I want to enroll in January."
Using the summer to get ready for college and a nagging ankle injury means you're not going to see Walker at Friday Night Lights, either.
"I won't make it (to Friday Night Lights)," Walker added. "I'm trying to get my coach to take me to Columbus this first week of their camp, to go see them practice and then come back to Jersey for my team's camp."

 

WALKER VISITING ARIZONA STATE
Although he plans to visit Ohio State in early August, Buckeye commit Kareem Walker will not be at Friday Night Lights next week. He will, however, be in Tempe, Arizona visiting Arizona State and the Sun Devils this weekend, according to 247Sports.com's Ryan Bartow.
Walker has been to Rutgers, Alabama and Auburn in recent months, and this trip to Arizona State – expected to run from this evening through Sunday – is another step in what's sure to be a long journey until signing day (or early enrollment in January, if Walker is able to do what he'd like to).
The Buckeyes know that they have to recruit every committed player as if they're not committed and Walker, along with Terrell Hall (who just visited Bama again with his good friend Abdul Adams) especially, fit that bill since they're from out of state.
When you recruit players like Ohio State recruits, especially – as I said – from out of state, there's going to be a challenge to keep them. The Buckeyes are better equipped than any team in the country to handle a recruiting "attack"
Stay the course, don't fret. Every little thing, is gonna be alright.

 

Bucks will have to continue recruiting Walker.........not that I expect him to end up at ASU...........

Five-star RB Kareem Walker, an #OhioState commit, is at #ASU camp but not participating. @rivalsmike

— Blair Angulo (@BlairAngulo) July 19, 2015

 

#ASU visit leaves 5-star #Buckeyes RB commit Kareem Walker impressed. http://t.co/DEfuyYjz8E#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/oeRFf7W9YC

— Rivals (@Rivals) July 21, 2015

 

WALKER'S VISIT TO ARIZONA STATE
The weekend visit to Arizona State for Kareem Walker is over and once again the rumor mill is churning, placing Walker here, there and basically anywhere but Ohio State come signing day.
The trip to Tempe was, by most accounts, not something that the Buckeyes were worried about, as much as they'd prefer he not take other visits. Still, Walker has a few connections out west that are, at the very least, perking up some ears. One of his mentors is a part-time Arizona resident and Walker has, according to folks at Scout.com, been reaching out to Philadelphia's Naseir Upshur, one of the country's top tight ends, about the possibility of the pair playing together...at Arizona State.
Ohio State isn't going to ask Walker to stop taking visits, at least not at this point. However, as the attention of the coaching staff turns from recruiting to preparing for a title defense, it's likely that Walker's next visit to Columbus is a big one. He's expected back at Ohio State in early August for a camp-day visit.

 

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