Get to know Erik Walden

by Matty I on Mar 19, 2009 12:15 AM EDT in News Comment 26 comments

On Wednesday, all of us here at TP had the honor of chatting with Dolphins WR Brandon London live on the site for over an hour. One of the questions that Brandon was asked was which Dolphins player he felt would break out in 2009. London's answer was one many probably didn't expect. Said Brandon:

Good question. I think a guy who will really explode on the scene this year will be...OLB Eric Walden. He played only special teams last year but I like what I saw on film in the special teams meeting. He knows how to get to the ball and how to make plays. He came to us late but now that he has a whole offseason with us he's really making gains in the weight room and just from sitting down and talking with him all the time you can see that fire he has in himself to want to step up and be a "guy" for this team!

Well if you're like me, that response instantly put Erik Walden on your radar in terms of players to watch this offseason when OTAs and mini-camps roll around. So I figured we might as well get to know Walden a little bit better. That's my mission for this post.

Erik Walden, OLB
6'2, 245, 2nd year

Walden was a 6th round pick last year of the Dallas Cowboys coming out of Middle Tennessee State. In college, Walden was a standout defensive end, but did get some time at outside linebacker. When the Cowboys drafted him, though, Walden was instantly projected as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense.

At Middle Tennessee, Walden was a playmaker at the defensive end spot right from the beginning - playing in 10 games as a freshman (including 4 starts) and totaling 6 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Over his 4 year career there, Erik played in 44 games, starting 34 of them, and tallied 22.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss. He also had an interception and a safety.

He weighed in a 6'2, 237 at the 2008 Scouting Combine and ran a 4.75 40 - not great, but certainly good enough to play OLB. Here is a scouting report on Walden from last offseason, courtesy of SI.com:

POSITIVES: Aggressive defender who makes plays all over the field. Gets depth on drops, displays good range, and stays with assignments. Forceful up the field, plays with good leverage, and chases hard to make plays. Displays a good degree of quickness in his game as well as a closing burst of speed.

NEGATIVES: Marginally strong at the point and struggles against blocks. Limited skills making plays in reverse.

ANALYSIS: Walden possesses the size and speed to play at the next level. His ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage will get him consideration as a pass-rushing linebacker in a 3-4 system.

Walden's NFL career got off to a shaky start. He spent all of training camp with the Cowboys but was cut on August 30 despite being a solid special teams contributor duringthe preseason. However, it didn't take long for Walden to get claimed on waivers. The Chiefs claimed Walden the next day - and apparently, there were "a host of teams interested" in claiming Walden.

In KC, Walden was a special teams standout, playing in 9 games and registering 10 special teams tackles - 2nd most on the team. However, Walden was waived by KC on November 19, mainly because they had to make room for an additional running back on their roster. The Dolphins wasted no time, claiming Walden the very next day.

As a Dolphin, Erik Walden played in 6 games - all on special teams - and tallied 5 tackles. But his 2009 role could certainly be very different. In Dallas last offseason, there were reports that claimed Walden would "flash" ability at times. David Halprin, from SBN's Blogging The Boys, called Walden "athletically-gifted but totally raw and inexperienced" during the preseason last year. And he also openly questioned the decision of the Cowboys to release Walden.

It seems like Walden - for a guy who has done relatively little on the field outside of special teams - makes fans wherever he goes. Even in KC, he was popular as a special teamer. One KC fan even called Walden "a keeper." It's that kind of respect, from both fans and teammates, that instantly puts a player like Walden on your radar. And it'll be interesting to see how he develops this offseason.

So I will leave you with a video of Erik Walden's Pro-Day workout from last year:

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Comments

First

The Patriots Suck

by k2oconnor on Mar 19, 2009 12:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Matty

as always a great informaive write up :)

25th pick - Clay Mathews LB USC
44th pick - Alphonso Smith cb Wake Forest
56th pick - Clint Sintim LB Virginia
86th pick - Fili Moala DT USC

by Blaze453 on Mar 19, 2009 12:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thats my First time and most likely my last

However no point and waiting around for this debate to come out so I will start it off. Wake or Walden….???

Roth’s OLB position I feel is open for grabs. With the pass rush OLB occupied by Porter, the other one is important to be a balance position. As a run stopper Roth excels, but ideal pass rusher and coverage player he is not.

I go with Walden on this, it seems in college he could get to the QB just fine and has the size and strength to be a run stopper, not sure about coverage. Plus I am not sold on Wake, not sure how Canada translate to the NF:

The Patriots Suck

by k2oconnor on Mar 19, 2009 12:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Wake is both more Athletically gifted by now, has much more experience

and is much more polished

by MauMontaV5 on Mar 19, 2009 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Polished

You are right he has playing experience, but no NFL experienced, he is essentially a rookie. The CFL is a lot different defensive scheme wise than the NFL

The Patriots Suck

by k2oconnor on Mar 19, 2009 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i dont know...

wake didn’t just play in canada…he was the defensive player of the year the last 2 years in a row….. that’s gotta say something…. kurt warner?

by hwyatt3 on Mar 19, 2009 1:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fun Fact

Erik Walden was drafted with the pick we gave Dallas for Jason Ferguson. So Ferguson was essentially, free.

Winner of Four 2008/2009 Matty Awards
"Are We Doing This?"

by Little Nicky 21 on Mar 19, 2009 2:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HAH! Nice :D

Gotta love when trades work out like that for ya.

Also, is anyone else thinking that Walden should be the next guy to get interviewed? :P

Some people try to find things in this game that don't exist but football is only two things - blocking and tackling. ~Vince Lombardi

by ratenxs on Mar 19, 2009 3:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At this point

It doesn’t matter who’s next, I just hope there is a next lol

Winner of Four 2008/2009 Matty Awards
"Are We Doing This?"

by Little Nicky 21 on Mar 19, 2009 3:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's true

We could get John Denney (the LS) in here and I’d still be happy :P

Some people try to find things in this game that don't exist but football is only two things - blocking and tackling. ~Vince Lombardi

by ratenxs on Mar 19, 2009 3:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

is he

still around, hopefully Grove does long snaps

Miami Dolphins 2008 AFC East Divison Champions

by Phintastic on Mar 19, 2009 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not ask the interviewee...

to decide who the ‘next guy’ is and then they can also help set it up. So BL has chosen EW, maybe he can ask EW to do it?

Brown then Brace and Barwin...New Killer B's

by Corroncho on Mar 19, 2009 7:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Why....

Do i think that i read somewhere that he was Channing Crowder’s roommate in college. (even though he played for a different college.) Am i thinking of Charlie Anderson…Someone please help me out with this one…

by scbrandon on Mar 19, 2009 8:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MATTY............

I think the best fact on Walden is he was the #167 pick in last years draft…..the pick we traded to the Cowboys for Jason Ferguson.

So we trade a pick….get a starting NT……then get Walden anyway. Weird….and awesome lol

I asked this question (pauses for applause)…..and I was really happy with how he answered it. Really went for a sleeper.

The 2009 Garo Yepremian Funny Like a Clown Award Winner
The 2009 Ricky Williams Picture Perfect Award Winner

by Rzayo24 on Mar 19, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You kill me man

Little Nicky’s post from above stated that about the draft pick and Ferguson. Another one of your type before reading… haha I am just playing with ya

It was a good question, excellent job

The Patriots Suck

by k2oconnor on Mar 19, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea sorry i tend not to read EVERY comment

The 2009 Garo Yepremian Funny Like a Clown Award Winner
The 2009 Ricky Williams Picture Perfect Award Winner

by Rzayo24 on Mar 19, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

don't worry about it

I stole that tidbit from one of your ITM’s anyway lol

Winner of Four 2008/2009 Matty Awards
"Are We Doing This?"

by Little Nicky 21 on Mar 19, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea....THAT'S MY FUN FACT!!!

i remember i was looking at him when we picked him up…i was like “rd 6? Dallas? wy does that sound familiar lol” then i looked it up on wikipedia and saw it was our pick….thats seriously gangsta shit by Parcells lol. reminds me of this new trade….VERY small risk for a huge guy that u think will contribute.

The 2009 Garo Yepremian Funny Like a Clown Award Winner
The 2009 Ricky Williams Picture Perfect Award Winner

by Rzayo24 on Mar 20, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Glad you brought this up Matty.

this stuck out to me also when Brandon said it yesterday, and my first thought was “Oh yeah, I forgot about that guy!”.

So now all of a sudden it really hits home how much more the “Triad” know about the big picture than the rest of us “experts”. I mean, we are talking about needing to improve out pass rush and possibly picking up an OLB first day in the draft, and wondering if “Cameron Wake is it”. And maybe these guys already feel confident that they have that position covered for this season? I’m not saying they are going to stand pat, but who knows what other “gems” they may have uncovered turning over rocks.

You know, we have 11 LBs listed on the roster, and aside from the two mentioned, Moses is still around, and we have this guy as well:

Tearrius George (click to watch)

Picked up on waivers last year from N.O.
Also spent time in Dallas before being waived.
Played for Calgary in ’07
HT: 6.04
WT: 260 (270 while with Cowboys)
40 Time: 4.89

2006 SI Draft Analysis
POSITIVES: Speedy pass-rusher who can be a disruptive force. Fast off the edge and plays with a good degree of quickness. Keeps his pads low to the ground, gets leverage on opponents and drives up the field on contact.

NEGATIVES: Lacks a physical nature to his game and not always willing to jump into the pile. Slow shedding blocks and displays marginal hand technique protecting himself. (LCFF Note: Does anyone think this is exactly the type of “Negatives” that Tony S & Co. can correct/teach? I do.)

ANALYSIS: Flashing skill at defensive end, George must improve the details of his game to have any chance at the next level.

2007: Calgary Stampeders

George has created havoc for opposing quarterbacks since the first time he stepped on the field in the CFL. He currently leads all Stampeders with four tackles for a loss and is tied for the team lead with eight quarterback sacks. George has also recorded 27 defensive tackles, one fumble recovery and one special team tackle. He is the team’s Outstanding Rookie.

-LCFF

by LeftCoastFinFan on Mar 19, 2009 12:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice work Matty

You must have went to work on this right after the interview huh? Players like this and how the Dolphins brass seem to find them is what is going to build us up to being perennial playoff contenders again. He may work out, he may not…..but it gives me hope that they are doing their best to put the best team on the field so that the Dolphins can be the best team in the NFL again.

Miami Dolphins 2008 AFC East Divison Champions

by HuskerDolphin on Mar 19, 2009 12:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

as soon as this guy arrived, our special teams play got to a whole new level. He had like 6 special teams tackles the last couple of games.

my official Dolphins blogsite is www.playoffboundsports.com. Most likely I ahve more info on my article there, so feel free to come on over. GO DOLPHINS!!!!

by dolphin341 on Mar 19, 2009 12:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs