Insider notes on the Devontez Walker saga: Where does UNC WR go from here?

Except for decision-making suits in the NCAA, most of humanity that followed the Devontez Walker saga was shocked when the decision was passed down last week declaring him ineligible this season. So what’s next for the UNC wideout?

If you’re not familiar with the story, here’s the background.

Devontez Walker committed to play for FCS program North Carolina Central out of high school, but he never took the field as the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The Eagles were scheduled to play four games during the spring season of 2021, two against North Carolina A&T and two more against South Carolina State, yet all those games were cancelled.

Walker then chose to transfer to Kent State for the 2021 season and caught five passes for 124 yards in what would’ve been his freshman season. The following year was a breakout campaign for Walker, as his totals with the Golden Flashes included 58 receptions, 921 yards, and 11 TDs.

A desire to be closer to his hometown in Charlotte, North Carolina, led Walker to transfer to UNC for what would’ve been his third season on the college field. NFL scouts took notice of the tall, quick receiver, as some graded him as a fourth-round prospect before the season.

Then all hell broke loose.

Devontez Walker is still in purgatory after NCAA ruling

The NCAA refused to give Walker a waiver to immediately play for the Tar Heels, branding him as a two-time transfer despite the fact that his original school, NCCU, never played a game in 2020.

After almost a month of deliberation, the body that runs college sports announced it had denied the appeal by the University of North Carolina to grant Walker immediate eligibility. According to the NCAA , Walker must serve a year in residence in Chapel Hill before becoming eligible to play next year.

In a bit of irony, receiver Bradley Rozner caught two passes for rival North Carolina State during the team’s loss to Notre Dame on Saturday. Rozner is an eighth-year senior who played for Cisco College from 2016 to 2018, then spent four years at Rice before enrolling at North Carolina State this August.

What's next for Devontez Walker?

Will he bypass another year on the college field and enter the NFL draft?

Sources close to the situation tell me that Walker has not given up on playing for the Tar Heels this season and intends to exhaust all NCAA appeals in his attempt to do so.

He has the backing of the university, which believes he was wronged -- an opinion shared by many. From what I’m told, his immediate plans to pursue a career in the NFL are on the backburner as of now.

With all the bad press the NCAA has received since its head-scratching decision last Thursday, it will be interesting to see if they reverse their ruling and how quickly they do so.