Casey Walker

Position:
Linebacker
Height:
6-4
Weight:
220
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Grand Junction, Colo.
High School:
Grand Junction

AT COLORADO: This Season (Fr.)—Projected as a linebacker as a true freshman in college. An invited walk-on, he reported for fall camp on the 105-man roster.

HIGH SCHOOL—As a senior, he earned first-team All-State (5A) honors at defensive end from the Denver Post; he also earned first-team All-Southwestern League honors, with both the Durango Herald and Grand Junction’s KREX-TV selecting him as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year as he led the state of Colorado in quarterback sacks. He was named to the South team for the 55th Annual Colorado All-State football game, but as many going on to play collegiately, he chose not participate in the game. As a senior, he spearheaded a defense that allowed just 14.9 points per game over the course of the year (and 11.2 in nine regular season games). He was in on 63 tackles, 39 solo, 21 of which were for losses including the state-high 13 sacks, numerous hurries, one fumble recovery and six passes broken up. He played tight end on offense, primarily in a blocking role, though he did catch one pass for seven yards. As a junior, he earned first-team All-Southwestern League honors, when he had 12 quarterback sacks and two fumble recoveries. He also started as sophomore, posting two quarterback sacks, as the four-year letterman racked up 27 career sacks. Under coach Robbie Owens, Grand Junction was 10-2 his senior season, reaching the quarterfinals of the state playoffs before losing 24-21 to Regis; in that game, he had six tackles (five solo, including a quarterback sack). In a third round win over Highlands Ranch (35-28), he had eight tackles, seven unassisted including three sacks. GJHS was 3-7 his junior year, though two of the wins came over arch rivals Fruita-Monument and Grand Junction Central, and 3-8 his sophomore season. He also lettered in track as a freshman (sprints/relays) and three times in lacrosse (midfielder/defenseman).

ACADEMICS—He is interested in majoring in History, with an interest in Philosophy, at Colorado. He received a congressional nomination for possible appointment at the U.S. Naval Academy, an arduous eight-month application process in which he advanced to the final stage; he fully intends to go into military service after he’s done playing football. As a senior in high school, he received both the Grand Junction Academic Letter Award (for a grade point average above 3.75) and the GJHS Leadership Award; he was the Kiwanis Club Student-of-the-Month for February 2011. He was accepted into the People to People Academic Leadership Summit at John Hopkins University, an international academic ambassador program.

PERSONAL—He was born July 7, 1992 in Bellevue, Wash. His hobbies include playing the guitar, hunting and fishing. His father (Scott) played safety at Western State (Gunnison, Colo.); his mother (Lori Crippen-Walker) and an aunt (Kelly Hollern) both are CU graduates; Kelly worked as a student in the sports information office. An older brother, Cody, started for four years at inside linebacker at Mesa State and is now in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Afghanistan.