When Tray Walker first stepped into the Under Armour Performance Center last week, he didn't feel overmatched or out of place.
The fourth-round cornerback was right at home.
"It felt like I belonged here, and I always have," Walker said after finishing his first Ravens practice.
Walker's ascension to the NFL is as steep as any of his rookie counterparts. He's a product of small-school Texas Southern, and is the first draft pick out of his alma mater in the last 15 years.
Walker didn't have nearly the fanfare or attention compared to other Ravens rookies – some of the undrafted rookies even had a larger profile by coming from SEC schools – but he's ready to show he's deserving of his spot in the NFL.
"I really do [have a chip on my shoulder]," Walker said. "I feel as if coming from a [Southwestern Athletic Conference] school, or a [Football Championship Subdivision] school, we are overlooked. We don't get as much media and publicity as the other schools."
The Ravens love Walker's combination of size and speed, and the 6-foot-2, 191-pound cornerback pointed to his athletic ability as evidence that he's ready for life in the pros. He also has experience from high school of practicing against top-flight talent.
He played at Miami's Northwestern High School with eventual first-round draft picks like quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and wide receiver Amari Cooper. Walker is now in the NFL just like Cooper and Bridgewater, and it's right where he believes he should be.
"I played against those guys," Walker said. "For them to go a Division I school, I just feel that they had a better opportunity and more help than I did. I always felt that I could play up to that potential."
