Hank Walker

Joseph Sculthorpe, born on June 11, 1998, in Hampstead, North Carolina, is a former American football player now pursuing a career as a professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Alongside his tag team partner, Tank Ledger, he competes on the NXT brand under the ring name Hank Walker.

Hank Walker’s Football Career

High School Football Career

Hank Walker initiated his football career at Topsail High School in Hampstead, North Carolina, under the mentorship of coach Wayne Inman. He excelled on both the offensive and defensive lines, playing a key role in helping the team reach the NC 3A state playoffs. During his senior season, he recorded 46 tackles, including five for loss, and was selected to participate in the 2015 Shrine Bowl as per his college profile.

Walker was ranked No. 43 in North Carolina by Rivals.com and No. 15 nationally as a center by Scout.com. He was also recognized as the top center in the state. In addition to his football achievements, he won the state 3A heavyweight wrestling title as a sophomore and finished as the runner-up in his junior year as per his college profile.

College Football Career

Upon completing high school, Hank Walker enrolled at the University of North Carolina in 2017 as a student-athlete, majoring in sociology. As a redshirt freshman in 2017, he made an immediate impact by earning a spot at left guard in a collegiate game during the win over Marshall. He appeared in seven games on offense and contributed on special teams in five others. He later transitioned to a center during the 2018 spring drills as per his college profile.

Later as a redshirt sophomore in 2018, Walker became a key player in the Wolfpack's rotation, starting at both guard positions and excelling with 10 knockdown blocks against Boston College. By the end of the season, with 26 career games, he was the team's most experienced lineman. In 2019, as a redshirt junior, he earned second-team All-ACC honors from Pro Football Focus and received the highest grade on the offensive line in games against Syracuse and ECU. In his senior year of college, he was recognized as a third-team preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon as per his college profile.

Hank Walker’s Professional Wrestling Career

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE: 2022 – Present)

Hank Walker signed a contract with WWE in early 2022 and made his television debut on July 1, facing Channing Lorenzo in a no-contest match. Subsequently, on the July 22 episode of NXT Level Up, he took on Duke Hudson but was unable to secure a victory. He later transitioned to a security guard role in NXT, where he feuded with Javier Bernal after Bernal mocked him.

After Bernal's defeat to Cameron Grimes on August 23, Walker confronted him, expressing his disapproval of Bernal's behavior and subsequently attacking him. Walker, who frequently monitored security extras and kept Gallus in check, was set to face Bernal in a match on September 13. In this match, Walker achieved his first victory on the NXT main stage. Following the win, Shawn Michaels extended a contract offer, officially declaring Walker as an NXT superstar.

On October 4th, Hank Walker faced Zion Quinn but ultimately lost to the more experienced wrestler. However, he made a strong comeback on November 4th by defeating Miles Bourne. Following this victory, Walker experienced a series of setbacks against Channing Lorenzo, Charlie Dempsey, and Trick Williams. Recognizing Walker's potential, former WWE superstar Drew Gulak began mentoring him, helping him refine his skills at the Diamond Nine Training Centre. However, tension arose between Gulak and Julius Creed, leading to a match where Walker faced the Creed Brothers alongside Gulak but lost despite showing progress. On January 31, 2023, during a match between Gulak and Charlie Dempsey, Walker intervened to help Gulak secure the victory.

On February 14, Hank Walker faced Charlie Dempsey for their third match, sporting a new uniform but falling short once again. After the match, a tense exchange between Dempsey and Drew Gulak left Walker feeling betrayed as the two left together. Later, in an NXT battle royal, both Dempsey and Gulak were eliminated simultaneously, leading to a backstage altercation that set up their match, which Gulak won with Dempsey's interference.

Walker later teamed up with Tank Ledger to face Dyad but fell short. On May 9, they faced Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, only to suffer another loss. After that defeat, Ledger challenged Walker to a match, which Walker won on May 23. However, as he celebrated, Bron Breakker attacked him with a spear. Despite this setback, Walker and Ledger regrouped as a tag team and bounced back on the June 2 episode of NXT Level Up, earning a decisive victory over Bronco Nima and Lucien Price.

From fall 2023 through 2024, Walker and Ledger were known by their tag team name "Hank and Tank," and competed in numerous matches across NXT and NXT Level Up, experiencing a mix of success and setbacks against various teams, including Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen, Malik Blade & Idris Enofé, Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors, and New Catch Republic. The duo also pursued the NXT Tag Team Championship but fell short in their attempts, including a Triple Threat Number One Contender Match on September 3, 2024. Subsequently, Hank and Tank became involved in a feud with The OC, the rivalry ended on September 24, 2024, when Hank and Tank achieved another victory in their second clash.