Duke impresses Florida prospect

Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace three-star outside linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. hit the road last weekend to check out an ACC school.

"I was at Duke last weekend," Walker Jr. said. "We got there the night before and just slept when we arrived. The next morning we woke up and went to the meeting room and then they gave us a tour. I had a chance to meet the head coach (David Cutcliffe) and the defensive coordinator (Jim Knowles) before the tour. After the tour we had lunch and then we went to the (spring) game."

The 6-foot-1, 208-pound defender enjoyed the spring finale.

"It was a pretty good spring game," Walker Jr. said. "They had a pretty nice crowd."

During the visit, the Sunshine State prospect was given a tour of Duke's athletic facilities.

"The things that stood out to me was the facilities," Walker Jr. said. "The indoor football facility, the practice fields, the stadium, and of course Cameron Indoor Stadium, the basketball gym. All of the sites were real nice."

While Walker Jr. is considered an outside linebacker, Duke is looking at him as a possibility in the defensive secondary.

"They told me I would be more than likely a safety," Walker Jr. said. "I would pretty much be a rover in their 4-2-5 defense. I would always be the guy covering the slot. I am very comfortable with that because that is what I always play at Pace - I am always covering the slot guy. I would be very comfortable in their defense."

Duke, who has yet to offer, intends to continue to evaluate Walker Jr. He expects a visit from his primary recruiter, recruiting coordinator Matt Lubick, during the spring.

"They are going to come down in the spring and evaluate me further," Walker Jr. said. "He said that it would more than likely come in the spring because when he comes down he is going to bring the defensive coordinator. He said that if they like what they see during practice that they are going to offer me right then and there."

Purdue remains Walker Jr.'s only offer. He is also drawing interest from Florida International, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, South Florida, and UCF. He believes that a number of those schools will offer during the spring.

As for a decision, that likely won't come until later.

"I plan to be committed to a school by week four of our season, which is our bye week," Walker Jr. said.

Walker Jr. had hoped to visit Florida State over one of the next two weekends but due to 7-on-7 tournaments and the ACT, he won't be able to. At this point, he does not have any upcoming visit plans.