NFL veteran stops in Alexander City to visit family

By Dusty Harper (Contact) | Alex City Outlook

Published Wednesday, July 8, 2009

While enjoying his off time from the National Football League, Frank Walker stopped by Alexander City to see his father, Frank Walker Sr.

Walker, a Tuskegee native who has been in the NFL since 2003, is a cornerback with the Baltimore Ravens. He landed in Baltimore after four years with the New York Giants and one season in Green Bay.

Being from a small town and playing at Tuskegee, not a powerhouse football university, Walker said he’s had to do a little extra for his whole career.

“I’ve just had to outwork people,” said Walker, who’s helping teach at a camp in Montgomery on Thursday and also has hosted camps at Tuskegee in the past. “When it’s hard to get noticed, you have to be that much better. It’s wishy-washy in the NFL. Once you get a spot, you have to stay on top or you’ll be out. It’s a job. People think everyone has a gazillion dollars, but that’s only a few players. It’s still a job.”

Walker Sr. said his son was extra fortunate.

“I’m just a regular, old dad, but he’s always had talent,” he said. “Like the old saying goes, you’ve got to be lucky to get there, but you’ve got to be good to stay. He was lucky, but he’s got talent.”

Though he’s covered the likes of Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne and Terrell Owens, Walker gave a surprising answer as to who the toughest wide receiver is to lock down.

“Bobby Shaw in the slot in Buffalo was the hardest guy I ever tried to cover,” Walker said. “I turned my ankle guarding him. All the big names just run straight up the field and make plays on the ball. This guy was running ins and outs and making cuts. That’s hard to stop.”

Walker said playing in Baltimore is nice because he has linebacker Ray Lewis on the field with him.

“I used to try to tackle a lot early in my career, now I just let the linebackers take care of it,” Walker said. “Ray tells us just to cover and he’ll take care of everything else. I wouldn’t trade playing with him for anything.”

He also said Baltimore’s MT&T Stadium is his favorite stadium and even was before he became a Raven.

“In New York, we used to hate to go over there and play,” Walker said. “It was super loud. It’s definitely my favorite place to play now.”

The six-year veteran said the coaches in the NFL are one of the main differences at the professional level.

“They don’t really tell you anything or change anything about the way you play,” Walker said. “They’re all about scouting and preparation. They study so much about what the other teams do, and they try to make sure you know exactly what move they are going to make.”

Walker, who graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, said he was at Central-Coosa for a brief period, when he won the starting running back position, but had to leave shortly afterward.

Steve McNair, who was murdered July 4, ended his career in Baltimore a season before Walker joined the team, but Walker did work out with McNair for a brief period. He would only say that McNair “was a cool guy.”

Walker’s cousin is current Benjamin Russell senior Trey Bennett.

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