College Football

FSU Football: DeMarcus Walker's Decision To Return Paying Off

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:33 p.m. ET

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Nov 14, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive end Demarcus Walker (44) battles at the line against North Carolina State Wolfpack offensive tackle Will Richardson (66) during the second half of the game at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

FSU football defensive end DeMarcus Walker’s decision to return to FSU his senior season is paying off.

DeMarcus Walker had a chance to leave FSU football after the 2015 season to play in the NFL. He had just completed his junior season that resulted in career highs in five separate categories.

Walker was the team leader with 10.5 sacks,15.5 tackles for loss, 5 pass breakups and 4 forced fumbles.

However, he decided to return to FSU for his senior season in hopes of getting another national championship. Walker was on the 2013 FSU team that defeated Auburn.

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FSU football’s national championship hopes have been dashed after two early losses, but Walker’s production on the field moved him up several NFL mock draft boards.

Walker has 8.5 sacks through seven games, and three forced fumbles to go along with 31 total tackles.

He’s currently projected to be drafted in the second round by the New Orleans Saints by DraftSite.com. If that mock draft held true, he would be the No. 9 defensive end taken in the 2017 NFL Draft.

NFLDraftScout.com has Walker listed as the No. 4 defensive end in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Walterfootball.com has Walker as the No. 6 defensive end in the same class.

FSU has five games left, and has already played the most difficult part of its schedule. It’s possible that Walker could put up monster stats in the next five games, and definitely surpass the career high totals he posted in 2015.

If so, he could join the likes of recent former FSU great defensive ends Mario Edwards Jr, Tank Carradine and Bjorn Werner who were drafted in either the first or second round of the NFL Draft in the past few years.