[LeeCoUKFan]

New commit Walker fell in love with UK on visit

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Kobie Walker made his first trip to Kentucky for the Wildcats' spring game, and it didn't take him long to decide where he wanted to attend college.

On Monday, he made it official, committing to the Wildcats.

Walker got to know Drew Barker and Thaddeus Snodgrass while he was at the spring game.

"I just fell in love with the school from the time I stepped foot on the campus at the spring game," Walker said. "The academics and the football program. The coaches, the recruits and the players. I just fell in love with it right away.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound prospect played strong safety and outside linebacker for Olney (Md.) Our Lady of Good Counsel last year, one of the east coast's top high school football programs.

Kentucky has not had much success recruiting in the Mid-Atlantic region and the commitment is a big win for UK assistant coach Tommy Mainord, Walker's primary recruiter.

"He was a big reason for my commitment to be honest," Walker said. "He's just a real laid back guy, a guy that you can trust."

Walker expects to play more linebacker this year, a position he believes has been best for him all along.

"That's the position I played before I even got to high school. I feel like I can do everything. I can rush the passer, I can cover. I'm one of the more athletic linebackers you'll see."

Arizona, Boston College, Miami, NC State, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Wisconsin were among the other schools that had offered Walker.

Walker is UK's second linebacker commitment, joining Dorian Hendrix.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1505484