Louisville football recruiting: JUCO defensive back Ronald Walker commits

If wide receiver defined the Louisville recruiting class of 2015, defensive back is going to define the class of 2016. With a number of talented defensive back commitments already on board, Louisville landed a commitment from junior college cornerback Ronald Walker shortly after his official visit for the Syracuse game ended on Sunday. Walker is Louisville's 22nd commitment for the class of 2016. According to Jody Demling of Cardinal Authority he plays to enroll in January and participate in spring practice.

Walker was originally a composite three-star recruit that signed with Ole Miss out of high school before playing two years at Copiah-Lincoln Junior College in Mississippi. According to 247Sports he is the #2 cornerback in the junior college ranks. He picked Louisville over offers and interest from Mississippi State, Arizona State, Illinois, and Iowa State.

Walker is very big (6'3, 205) and physical for a cornerback (see the highlight video below he sorta looks like James Burgess playing cornerback). With the style of offenses Louisville is consistently facing in Kentucky and the ACC, the defense needs more corners in the Jaire Alexander mold that are strong and can support the run to go alongside the speedy guys that are great in coverage like Shaq Wiggins and Trumaine Washington. Walker is definitely the former.

Walker joins what could be one of the deepest and best classes of defensive backs Louisville has ever had in one class (the caveat being they hold on to all of them, of course). Seth Dawkins, Jaquelle Green, Lamarques Thomas, Rodjay Burns, and Baylen Buchanan give Louisville a blend of speed, athleticism, and size at both corner and safety for the future. Now you add Walker to that mix and perhaps Chris Taylor-Yamanoha will get to play receiver (where I think he's better). Add them to Jaire Alexander and Dee Smith from last year and Cornelius Sturghill who is seeing playing time at corner after redshirting and Louisville is going to be very good shape in the secondary for years to come.