Wesley Walls

Bio

Wesley Walls is the first Hall of Famer from the two-platoon era to have spent seasons starting on both offense and defense. Walls originally committed to Alabama before deciding to stay in his home state of Mississippi. As a freshman for the Rebels, he was a backup defensive end before becoming a starter as a sophomore and junior. On defense, he recorded 140 career tackles, including 19.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. During spring practice before the 1988 season, a new offensive coordinator suggested a switch to tight end. “From day one in practice, it seemed like the most natural position,” said Walls. While he would spend most of his time of offense that year, on occasion he went back to defense on third down situations. At tight end, he became a first-team All-America catching 36 passes. Wesley was a NFF Scholar Athlete and Academic All-America. Chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft, Walls enjoyed a decorated 15 seasons in the NFL, helping the 49ers win Super Bowl XXIV during his rookie campaign. A five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro selection, he also played for the New Orleans Saints, the Green Bay Packers, and the Carolina Panthers.

Career Highlights

• 1988 Academic All-America
• 1988 All-Conference
• 1988 First-team All-America
• 1988 NFF Scholar-Athlete