RECRUITING: Minnesota DE flattered by OU's offer

Eden Prairie, Minn. defensive end prospect Ashley Walker update.

Walker Ashley, DT, 6’4, 281, 4.84, EDEN PRAIRIE (SENIOR HS), MINNESOTA:

This bad boy has been a standout at Senior High School for three years, and he has developed into one of the best defensive tackle prospects in the country. Last season, Ashely finished with 74 tackles, 35 solos, 10 sacks, four caused fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

“I start the game at nose tackle, but as the game goes on I move out to the three-technique,” said Ashley. “All the colleges are recruiting me as a defensive end and that is actually where I would like to play. I am pretty quick and fast off the line. I have a good burst which allows me to get a good pass rush off the edge. I would say that my sacks are split 50-50 up the middle or off the edge.”

Ashley can bench 330 pounds, squats 410 and he has a 28-inch vertical jump. Ashley attended the Nike camp at Penn State and went to camps at Minnesota and USC.

“I was named the best lineman at the Minnesota camp,” said Ashley. “I would have been named the best defensive lineman at the USC camp, but I had to leave early and didn’t get a chance to receive any awards. However, they offered me a scholarship so I had to do pretty well at that camp.”

Senior High is off to a 2-0 start and they are ranked No. 1 in the state and Ashley played five series in the first game before he was pulled in a blowout. He finished with eight tackles and one caused fumble. In game two, Ashley only played in the first half because of another blowout and he finished 13 tackles on the night.

“Things have gone pretty well,” said Ashley. “We haven’t played a team that tries to pass the ball yet, so every team is trying to run the ball, which plays right into my hands. So, things are going petty well for me.”

Ashley has been offered by 10 different schools at this time and he has narrowed his choices down to five.

“My top five is, not in any particular order,” said Ashley. “I like Ohio State, USC, Penn State, Minnesota and Oklahoma. I don’t have a favorite and I am looking forward to my visits at each school. Oklahoma just started to recruit me and they just recently offered me. I never even heard from Oklahoma until about a week ago when I received a phone call from them. They called and said that they were very impressed with my film and that Coach (Bob) Stoops wanted to offer me a scholarship. I thought that was pretty cool that they would react that quickly. I was very flattered by that. Other than that, all I know about them is that they have a great tradition and they have a great football program. They are always playing for National Championships it seems and they have a real good defense.”

Ashley will go to Ohio State (12-3), Minnesota (12-10) and he is working to set up visits with the other three schools. Ashley says he will probably visit a couple of the remaining schools during his season.