Former TSU star Tray Walker dead after motorbike accident – Chron.com
Walker was pronounced dead on Friday afternoon due to head injuries suffered in an accident on Thursday night.
Walker was pronounced dead on Friday afternoon due to head injuries suffered in an accident on Thursday night.
Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images
A year ago, Tommy Lee Walker’s ashes were spread off of the waters of Miami by his family months after he died of a heart attack.
It was one day after his son, Texas Southern cornerback Tray Walker, was drafted in the fourth round by the Baltimore Ravens.
The Walker family endured another tragic loss Friday afternoon when Tray Walker died of head injuries sustained in a motorbike accident in Miami, according to the Ravens and his agent, Ronald Butler. Walker was 23 years old.
Walker had been in intensive care after undergoing surgery for massive head trauma at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
“I’m in shock right now,” former Ravens defensive end Chris Canty said in a text message. “His locker was right next to mine. The sky was the limit for him as a player. Just a young man that needed guidance, but had a desire to be successful on and off the field. Prayers and condolences for all of his loved ones, teammates and friends. Tragic.”
Walker was riding a Honda dirt bike when he collided with a car at an intersection, according to police. Police said Walker wasn’t wearing a helmet and the bike didn’t have headlights and Walker was wearing dark clothing.
“We are grieving the loss of a special young man,” the Ravens said in a statement.
Walker played in eight games last season as a rookie for the Ravens and primarily operated on special teams. He recorded one tackle.
Walker was remembered by teammates and coaches as a hard-working, polite young man.
“I am asking you to consider what is at stake in your life,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh wrote in a letter to his players. “Consider what your thoughts, actions and choices mean to those around you. Live your life fully and with purpose. Have fun and share your happiness.”
Walker was the first Texas Southern player drafted since wide receiver Joey Jamison in the 2000 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers as their fifth-round draft pick. He was the school’s highest draft pick since center Joe Burch was picked in the third round by the New England Patriots in 1994.
“He was very competitive on the football field,” former TSU coach Darrell Asberry said. “The key to Tray Walker was getting to know Tray and understanding Tray. We were fortunate enough to develop each other’s trust. It’s just a sad, sad time right now for the family.
“Here’s a young man who has worked so hard to get his degree, get drafted. I’ll never forget when I first met Tray, I told him ‘Son, you have a million dollars written all over you. It’s just unfortunate that this situation has happened. I was eating and just lost my whole appetite.
“It’s just a tough time for the Texas Southern family.”
Walker intercepted nine career passes while competing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, which is at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
“He loved his college, his teammates, coaches,” Butler said. “He was big in terms of giving back. He spent a lot of time there in the offseason.”
An imposing press cornerback at 6-2, 200 pounds, Walker ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds. He also has a 36 1/2 inch vertical leap and a 10-7 broad jump.
However, Walker wasn’t invited to the NFL scouting combine, instead competing at the NFL super regional combine. Before the NFL draft last year, Walker visited the Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons. Walker had private workouts with the Arizona Cardinals and Texans.
“I just thank God that I had the privilege and the honor to be a part of his life for three years and develop a friendship where we still talked, even up to this accident,” Asberry said. “We would talk twice a week. Sometimes we’d just text, checking on each other. At the end of each text we would always say ‘We love you.'”
TSU was the only school to offer him a scholarship out of Northwestern High School in Miami.
Walker played in high school with Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Both were first-round draft picks.
“We were deeply saddened to hear about the recent accident involving Tray Walker,” TSU vice president of athletics Charles McClelland said. “Tray was an outstanding student-athlete and an equally impressive young man off the field during his time here at Texas Southern. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this difficult time.”
A recruiting afterthought out of high school, Walker developed into an NFL player despite being overlooked initially by college recruiters and NFL scouts.
“I really can’t explain that,” Walker said last year after signing a four-year, $2.625 million contract. “Maybe I didn’t have much help. I wasn’t recognized by most Division I schools. I was only a buck-seventy-five coming out of high school.
“Personally, my athletic ability has always been there. I played against those top guys, Amari Cooper, Teddy Bridgewater, Devonta Freeman. For them to go to a Division I school, I felt like they had better opportunities. I always felt like I could play up to that potential. I felt as if coming from a SWAC school we are overlooked. We don’t get as much publicity as other schools, I do feel that way.”
Adam Coleman contributed to this report.
