Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Redshirt senior DT Ricky Walker has accepted an invitation to play in the 94th East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 19, 2019 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET kickoff and will be televised by NFL Network.
"Ricky has more than earned this opportunity to showcase his skills for NFL coaches and scouts," head coach Justin Fuente said. "Ricky continues to serve as a great example for our team as we prepare for the Military Bowl. We wish him the very best as he seeks to continue his playing career at the next level."
In 12 starts at defensive tackles this season, Walker has posted 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass breakup, two forced fumbles and a career-high 49 total tackles (23 solo). Those numbers helped him land a spot on the second-team All-ACC squad.
Walker was also a finalist for the Dudley Award, presented to the top collegiate football player in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, he was named ACC Player of the Week on Nov. 26 after racking up seven tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and forcing a fumble in Virginia Tech's 34-31 victory over UVA.
Walker has 30.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks and 127 total tackles in his career entering the Hokies' appearance in the Military Bowl on Dec. 31. He was a 2018 team captain, the keeper of Virginia Tech's famed Lunch Pail and graduated in the spring of 2018 with a degree in sociology.