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Jalon Walker named Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Semifinalist

Jalon Walker
Photo: Tony Walsh/UGAAA

UGA football junior linebacker Jalon Walker has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the eighth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, it was announced Tuesday.

The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award is given annually to the college football player who has “…demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.”

Walker is the only junior on the list and one of six players named from the Southeastern Conference. Other semifinalists include Justin Barron (Syracuse), Dylan Black (Oregon State), Brady Cook (Missouri), Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati), Ajani Cornelius (Oregon), Luke Deal (Auburn), Jacob Gardner (Colorado State), Ahmed Hassanein (Boise State), Seth Henigan (Memphis), Isaiah Jacobs (UAB), Jake Majors (Texas), Bru McCoy (Tennessee), Devin Neal (Kansas), Kaimon Rucker (North Carolina), Cody Simon (Ohio State), Logan Taylor (Hawai’i), Dante Trader, Jr. (Maryland), J.J. Weaver (Kentucky), and Jackson Woodard (UNLV).

Below is what the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee had to say about Walker:

Walker has played in all 36 games since the 2022 season and has five starts this year, helping the No. 2 Bulldogs compile a 34-2 record over that three-year stretch including the 2022 national championship. He made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.0 or higher term GPA) in Spring ’22 and Spring ’24. Walker is a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In addition, he was selected for the second year in a row to be one of four SEC student-athlete voices in the Just Means More SEC ads. Off the field, he regularly goes to local schools and reads to children.

Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 12, 2025.

Jalon Walker (6-2, 245) hails from Salisbury, N.C. Last week against top-ranked Texas, he posted a team-leading seven solo tackles, including three sacks for a combined loss of 23 yards in win over Texas.

This weekend on Saturday, Oct. 26, Georgia will enjoy it’s second and final open date of the season. Then on Saturday, Nov. 2, the Bulldogs travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to take on the Florida Gators at EverBank Stadium. The game will be televised by ABC and streamed via ESPN+ at 3:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).

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