Darwin Walker Named to 2019 SEC Football Legends Class

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Former Tennessee All-SEC defensive lineman Darwin Walker was named to the 2019 Southeastern Conference Football Legends Class as announced by the league office on Thursday morning.

Walker and the representatives from the other 13 conference schools will be honored at events surrounding the SEC Championship game later this season.

A two-time All-SEC first-team selection at defensive tackle, Walker made an impact at Tennessee on and off the field, appearing in 35 games and recording 119 tackles, 14 sacks and 19 TFLs for the Orange and White, while earning his degree in civil engineering. After spending his freshman season at North Carolina State, Walker transferred to Tennessee, where he lettered for the Vols for three seasons (1997-99) and helped lead the Big Orange to a pair of SEC titles and the 1998 BCS National Championship.

Walker had six sacks and 46 tackles en route to All-SEC first-team honors in 1998 as Tennessee went undefeated and won the first BCS National Championship. In 1999, Walker served as a captain for the Vols and repeated on the All-SEC First Team, totaling 46 tackles again and adding seven sacks.

The Walterboro, S.C., native was selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft and he went on to play nine seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, appearing in 109 games with 84 starts.

During his NFL career, Walker built his own engineering firm, Progressive Engineering Group. The firm later merged with Pennoni Associates, where Walker remains on the board of directors and as a shareholder. He is a commercial real estate developer who owns several Bojangles, Panera Bread and Wawa franchises.

This year’s legends class will be honored at the 2019 SEC Football “Weekend of Champions” from Dec. 6-7 in Atlanta, Georgia, highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Dinner on Friday, Dec. 6 at the Hyatt Regency. The group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Championship game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 7.

For more information and a list of the other 13 SEC legends, click HERE.

Tennessee SEC Legends All-Time
1994 – Bob Johnson
1995 – Doug Atkins
1996 – Condredge Holloway
1997 – John Michels
1998 – Richmond Flowers
1999 – Steve Kiner
2000 – Steve DeLong
2001 – Stanley Morgan
2002 – Johnny Majors
2003 – Reggie White
2004 – Frank Emanuel
2005 – Larry Seivers
2006 – Chip Kell
2007 – Willie Gault
2008 – Doug Dickey
2009 – Heath Shuler
2010 – Al Wilson
2011 – Bobby Majors
2012 – Peerless Price
2013 – Inky Johnson
2014 – Todd Kelly
2015 – Chuck Smith
2016 – Deon Grant
2017 – Chad Clifton
2018 – Phillip Fulmer
2019 – Darwin Walker