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Player Spotlight: Freshman RB Yobes Walker of ULL
By Jason Roberts | August 18, 2008
Louisiana-Lafayette has acquired quite a recruiting class for the 2008 football season, including former Brazoswood High School standout at tailback Yobes Walker .
Originally expected to commit to Walker’s hometown University of Houston, the college freshman shocked more than a few people when in late July, he announced that he’d elected instead to play for the Ragin’ Cajuns starting in the fall semester.
Walker (left, from Scout.com) , who stands 5′7″ and weighs in at 205 pounds, was the leading rusher in the Houston-metro area in 2007, where, as a senior, Walker netted himself almost 2200 yards and 17 TD rushing on an outrageous 324 carries. In six of those games last season the prep star ran for 200 yards or better, with a career high coming in a game against Cedar Creek, where Walker ran for 298 yards on the night.
As for Walker’s total production as a running back in high school? A mind-boggling 5647 yards and 56 touchdowns scored.
The Houston native has been described as a rare blend of the physical and speed, with his website (yobeswalker28.com ) noting, “Not only is Yobes a big-pounding back who specializes in gaining yards after contact, he’s also a speedster who can break it outside. He also has good hands and is versatile enough to catch the ball from out of the backfield.”
Considering what an phenomenal player he is, the question has been asked on several occasions why Walker decided on Louisiana-Lafayette; after all, Walker receiver scholarship offers from much big name programs as Texas A&M and Alabama. To such inquiry Walker responds simply, “I’m heading to a great up-and-coming program. It’s somewhere I’ll get a great education and a great place to play football.” He adds also, “God placed me where I’m supposed to be.”
Heading into the 2008 season, Walker is expected to compete for the backup slot to current starter at tailback for the Ragin’ Cajuns, senior Tyrell Fenroy , who comes into the fall second among active rushers with 3271 career yards accumulated in his first three years with the program.
Walker’s bid for playing time in 2008 was greatly aided recently, as junior Deon Wallace announced last week that he was leaving the team and giving up football altogether this year. Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Julian Shankle currently continues to recover from surgery to repair a broken ankle sustained this spring, while Draylon Booker comes in a less highly-touted back out of Conroe High in Texas.
As such, Walker should get a fair number of touches this season, as the freshman running back is the current favorite to be named heir-apparent to the Sun Belt rushing throne once Fenroy departs in 2009.
There is some concern that ULL’s most recent commitment at running back, Undre Sails , a JUCO transfer from the College of the Desert in California, might muddy the waters for Walker and make his overall fantasy value less prestigious than had Walker had sole possession of the number two tailback slot behind Fenroy. A 5′9″, 195 pound youngster, Sails rushed for 639 yards on 119 carries and scored 11 touchdowns last year, the fifth-best performance in Foothill Conference.
Yet, Sails has yet to become academically eligible to join the team and, even though that might be resolved by the simple administrative task of the College of the Desert’s registrar conferring upon Sails an Associate’s Degree, head coach for the Ragin’ Cajuns, Rickey Bustle, has stated he plans on Sails sitting out the first few days of practice in order to acclimate himself with the ULL playbook and formations.
That being the case, Walker ought to have a significant jump on Sails when it comes to making a run for playing time as a substitute for Fenroy. As such, Walker’s fantasy value should remain solid and would make for an excellent keeper selection for team owners looking for a relative unknown that should pay off large dividends in the near future.
Topics: College Football, Jason Roberts, Player Spotlight, Running Back, Sunbelt |
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