| Buried in the shadow of David Terrell — the No. 7 overall pick in
the 2001 draft — at Michigan, Marquise Walker patiently waited his turn to stand in
the spotlight. Take advantage he did, evolving as Michigan’s go-to receiver and one
of the best pass-catchers in the country as a senior. As far as the NFL is concerned,
Walker is being criticized for his lack of straight-line speed and ability to gain
separation without using his other physical skills. He also is fighting the notion that he
is merely a possession receiver. Walker sat down to answer those questions and others. Q:
How do you feel about following all of your former teammates — Anthony Thomas, David
Terrell, Jeff Backus, Steve Hutchinson, Maurice Williams — into the NFL?
A: A lot of people left last year and we had a lot of first-rounders and people that
played and contributed to their team. For me, leaving this year, I’m just trying to
follow and do the same thing they did.
Q: What did you play at this year?
A: 6-3, 218.
Q: Were you impressed with Anthony Thomas and some of those other guys?
A: Train had a good year. The person I was most impressed with was Tom Brady with New
England. Obviously, he did a great job.
Q: Is the 40-yard dash overrated?
A: I don’t know. I guess it depends on who you ask. I think when it is all said
and done, you don’t measure football players by how they run or work out. You measure
it how they play (Sundays). When you are out on the field you aren’t just running
straight. The coaches see it as an important now, I guess, but I can’t control that.
Q: You said that (before your workout at Michigan March 15) you had never run the
40. How is that possible?
A: Well, I’d run the 40, just never for a time. I don’t train to run 40
yards. I did some of that, working on starts, in January. But I never wanted to take the
risk of getting injured by coming out and sprinting 40 yards without proper training and
understanding of what I was doing to my body. We only ran it once a year and I chose not
to run.
Q: You’ve been labeled a possession receiver. Does that bother you at all?
A: If that is what they think, I can’t do anything about that. I know I’m
going to go out there and make plays and get the job done whatever the title is. I
don’t think I’ll be a possession receiver. I think I’ll be more. But
we’ll wait until I get there and see what happens.
Q: What did guys like (former Michigan receivers) Tai Streets and David Terrell tell
you to expect in the NFL?
A: The biggest piece of advice I got was to know your playbook going into camp. They
said if that happens, everything else will fall into place because it’s just
football.
Q: Compare your basketball skills to your football prowess?
A: I lead the team, run the point. I played in Syracuse, N.Y. I averaged 20-something
as a sophomore and junior and then I didn’t play my senior year. I had more
opportunities as a football player.
Q: Did Syracuse recruit you to play either sport?
A: Oh yeah.
Q: How did you sneak out of there?
A: Donovan McNabb only had one more year. I decided not to go. If he had had three more
years left, I would have been an Orangeman.
Q: It looks like you have fun on the football field. Do you put a lot of stock in
that?
A: That is the main thing. As long as you have fun playing this game, you are going to
enjoy it. If not, you don’t have any reason being out there. I think I had too much
fun (to suit) coach (Lloyd) Carr at times.
Q: Are you a two-sport star?
A: Yes. Give me five or six years, I’m planning on giving the NBA a shot.
Don’t count me out.
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