https://www.seccountry.com/alabama/alabama-crimson-tide-recruiting-quay-walker-commitment-2
Newest Alabama commit explains why conversation with Tide freshman LB was critical in his decision
Quay Walker committed to Alabama on Thursday.
Chris Kirschner/SEC Country
Chris Kirschner
@ChrisKirschner
Posted 22 hours ago
CORDELE, Ga. —
Quay Walker became Alabama’s third commitment in the Class of 2018 after he announced his decision in an
exclusive video with SEC Country on Thursday.
Walker, a 4-star linebacker from Crisp County High School, listed the Crimson Tide as his leader for a few months now. His visit over the weekend to Tuscaloosa sealed the deal.
A conversation with freshman linebacker VanDarius Cowan, who was a big recruiter for Alabama in the Class of 2017, on Sunday solidified in Walker’s mind that the Crimson Tide was the team he wanted to play for.
“He played a big role in this,” Walker told SEC Country. “With everything he’s told me and how he’s been pushed to be better already in only about a week since he’s been there, that meant a lot to me.
“That was my first time meeting him. He told me that if I did go there, I would be great. You’re going to be pushed hard. He told me that he wasn’t going to lie and say I’ll start immediately. I’m going to have to work for everything I get.”
Walker is rated as the nation’s No. 11 outside linebacker in the Class of 2018. He’s one of the Tide’s top overall targets regardless of position. (Chris Kirschner/SEC Country)
Though Walker is listed as an outside linebacker on scouting sites, the Alabama coaching staff has told him that he can play both inside and outside in the Tide’s 3-4 defense. On third downs, he’ll likely be used as a pass rushing linebacker.
Auburn finished No. 2 for Walker. South Carolina was third. The main reason why Alabama beat out both of those schools, though, goes back to Cowan and all of his other future teammates in Tuscaloosa.
“I really want to be great with teammates that I know for a fact are going to push me every day and coaches who are going to help me get better,” Walker said. “The biggest thing was my future teammates. Those guys are great.”
Committing to Alabama was likely going to happen once he brought his mother, Kameisha Shilloh, there for a visit, which happened for the first time this past Saturday and Sunday. Walker told SEC Country in early May that once his mother signed off on him going to Alabama, it was a done deal.
The Alabama coaching staff has been pushing for Walker, one of the team’s top linebacker targets, to commit for several months now. But, he was clear to Nick Saban that he wasn’t going to do so until his mother made the trip.
He gave his commitment to the staff while in Tuscaloosa this past weekend.
“Once I told him what I wanted to do, he told me that I can’t just be committed to Alabama, I need to be committed to the process,” Walker explained. “When I told him I was, he was really happy. Coach Saban doesn’t smile too often, but when he does, you know that means something.”
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect said he never wavered once on his stance of Alabama leading the way for his commitment during the stretch of time when he originally said that was the case in April.
He took trips to Auburn and South Carolina, but those schools couldn’t change his mind.
Not even his “big bro” Markaviest “Big Cat” Bryant couldn’t sway him. Bryant, a former 4-star prospect himself out of Crisp County High School, signed with Auburn last year.
Walker told Bryant before he committed to Alabama that he was going to do. Bryant was happy for Walker, but was disappointed that they weren’t going to line up across from each other on the same defense one more time.
“If I can’t talk to anybody, I know I can talk to him whenever I want, but I already told him Roll Tide and we’re going to win more games than they are,” Walker said with a laugh. “That was the last message I sent him and he didn’t respond, so I guess he got a little upset with that.”