CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As he prepares for the NFL draft, Devontez Walker joined WCNC’s Ashley Stroehlein to discuss what the draft process has been like so far, how he’s prepared, what his Tar Heel football family means to him and more.
Q: It’s a big week with the NFL draft, how are you feeling?
A: I'm excited about it. Just ready to hear my name called. It’s something I’ve always dreamt about; finally getting to do what I love.
Q: When that moment happens and your name is called, what emotions do you think you’re going to be feeling between yourself and your family?
A: It’ll probably be emotional, but I’ll probably be pretty locked in and ready to go, get to wherever I’m going and study the playbook and get prepared to play.
Q: What was the NFL Combine process like?
A: It was a great experience, the week as a whole, getting to talk to NFL scouts every day with them giving you feedback on what they think about you. I learned how to carry myself throughout the week and not to make things more stressful than what it is and to focus on the main thing.
Q: You shared that experience with Drake Maye, what has it been like sharing this process with him and then going back to being teammates at UNC last year?
A: I’ve enjoyed it. It was just like last year when I got to UNC, throughout this process he’s always been there wanting to throw. We’ve been throwing the last month and a half since we’ve been back. He’s also getting ready for Rookie Mini-Camp. Just goes back to when I first stepped on campus last year, he always wanted to go throw and I would never tell him no because I always wanted to get better, and he always wanted to get better, and it showed during the season when we had that automatic chemistry when I got back on the field.
Q: What did it mean to have so many people supporting you last season and advocating for you to get on the field?
A: It meant a lot. When all of that was going on it told me why I wanted to get to this level, why I had to get to his level at some point. My grandma seeing those types of things, she has seen everything I worked hard for and it's finally coming to light. The whole team, the whole community, had my back when they knew something wasn’t right just goes to show how that university carries itself and how they stand up for anyone who comes through Chapel Hill.
Q: Steve Smith reviewed your tape from last year and said he could see you being a starter in this league, what does that type of support mean?
A: It means a lot. He’s done it all in the league, a future Hall of Famer, growing up watching him and hearing those words felt good. It also felt good hearing the things I did have to work on, him telling me how I can be better in this league and taking those tips and keeping them in the back of my mind. I think it’ll take me a long way. It was an honor hearing those things from him.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in your NFL career?
A: Honestly, Hall of Fame, all of that is good. It will come if you do what you need to do. Super Bowl Championship is the ultimate goal of mine. I’ve never won a championship since I started playing football. Never won one. So, winning a Super Bowl will do wonders, that’s my ultimate goal going into the NFL.
Q: What did growing up in Charlotte and going to West Charlotte teach you?
A: It has taught me that not everybody gets those opportunities. So, whenever I do to take advantage of those opportunities. So, every opportunity that God blessed me with, I try to take full advantage of all of it. That's what I've learned living in Charlotte and growing up with my grandma. She's big in faith so holding onto that faith and things like that that's the type of things I've learned.
Contact Ashley Stroehlein at astro@wcnc.com and follow her on X, Facebook and Instagram.