Through three games in 2015, Anthony Walker has been Northwestern's best and most active playmaker on defense. The sophomore middle linebacker seems to be everywhere, using his combination of size, speed and instincts to shut down opponents.
Walker, interestingly, has the "sideline-to-sideline" speed that coaches and analysts dream about but, at times, plays more like a downhill thumper in the middle of the defense. That versatility has allowed Walker to follow up on a promising freshman campaign, leading No. 17 Northwestern to a 3-0 start with wins over Stanford and Duke. Currently, he leads Northwestern in, among other categories, total tackles and tackles for loss.