Entering his team's spring scrimmage, Cypress Bay linebacker Phil Walker still didn't have any offers even though he played in a 9-2 team that advanced to the regional semifinals.

Even at 6-foot, 215-pounds and running a fast 4.56 in the 40, Walker was still waiting for offers.

However, hard work paid off for Walker. Once the first offer came in, the rest started to follow.

''The first one actually came in when I went to the D-I football camp. I worked out there and that's when the Northern Illinois coach saw me and pulled the trigger [with an offer],'' Walker said.

The offer was a bit of a relief for Walker who works out daily at Perfect Competition during the summer, a training camp that a lot of potential future NFL draft picks compete at in order to get ready for the NFL Draft.

HARD WORK

''It felt really good that all my hard work for four years paid off, that I'll be able to play at the next level,'' Walker said. ``I just kept working hard and kept telling myself that the offers were going to come.''

Beyond Northern Illinois, Walker said he has offers from Kansas State, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee State and Miami (Ohio).

He also expects an offer from Rutgers soon.

''I am pretty sure I am going to get a Rutgers offer because the coaches have called my coach to send my transcript,'' Walker said.

Walker had made his way to number of camps this summer as well.

''I've been to Rutgers. I went to Boston College. I went to Florida and I went to UCF,'' Walker said.

But he's not gotten any offers from any Florida schools and he only gets correspondence from Florida and Florida Atlantic.

''Only Florida coaches write me, but nothing big. FAU is about it in terms of actually talking to me,'' Walker said.

As a junior, Walker had 60 tackles after racking up more than 100 tackles as a sophomore at Mater Academy. He is aiming for more than 100 tackles again and the work he continues to put in he feels will get him there.

''I work with my brother a lot. We go through intense workouts at school with Perfect Competition. When I go home on the weekends, we just get together with some other players and work together on drills,'' Walker said.

Walker most recently bench maxed 320 pounds and has a 365-pound squat max.

WORKING ON GRADES

One of the things that Walker continues to work on is getting qualified. He maintains a 2.4 GPA, but has not earned the necessary test score yet.

''I took the ACT the first time I got a 16. My GPA is a 2.4 core. I am taking the ACT again. It was my first time taking it and my coach was like take it before the spring. I had no preparation for it. This time I am in preparation and taking it again in September. I am taking ACT class to get ready, doing drills, pre-tests, so now I know what to expect,'' Walker said.

Following a 9-2 season though, Walker is now shifting his football focus to the season.

''Our expectations are high every day. Every day we get after it. We are trying to go after that state title. That's the only way I look at it for my senior season,'' Walker said.

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