Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III has 'big games ahead' in rookie season
The Seattle Seahawks 2022 draft class is getting a lot of love lately and for very good reasons. One rookie who has really shined in the first half of the season is running back Kenneth Walker III.
Walker is averaging 5.4 yards per carry this season. He has totaled 461 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a lead backfield role.
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Since taking over for injured running back Rashaad Penny, Walker has multiple games with over 50 rushing yards. This includes a monster game, where he rushed for 167 yards, against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7.
"Really, he’s just continuing to validate the things that we saw early on when he got here," coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Wednesday. "I’m not talking about the evaluation; I’m talking about since he has been here. He has shown nothing but a real discipline about stuff. He’s tough, he cares, he has a lot of pride in the work and the job he’s asked to do."
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In fact, Walker has been so impressive over the last few matchups as a starter that he was just named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month.
Despite Walker’s early success, Carroll thinks there are bigger and better things to come.
"I think he just continues to just show us who he is," Carroll continued. "He’s very clear, he’s a clear guy, and we know who he is and how he sees things. He’s really just validating with the opportunities. I don’t really feel like we cut him loose yet, I think he has big games ahead. We didn’t run the ball well last week. He made a couple of terrific plays, but I think we are going to see even more than we have seen already, and not just in the run game, but the pass game too."
Walker looks to keep it going in Week 9. The Seahawks renew their NFC West rivalry with the Arizona Cardinals.
"One of my main goals was to just make a positive impact on the team when I first got here," Walker told reporters. "I have been trying to stick to that since. That has been my main goal. Just staying focused and grinding. I am going to keep trying to achieve that goal."