Lenny Walls
Encyclopedia
Lenny Brad Walls is a professional American and Canadian football
defensive back
who is currently a free agent
. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos
of the Canadian Football League
. He was signed by the Denver Broncos
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
for the Boston College Eagles
.
Walls has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs
, St. Louis Rams
, Baltimore Ravens
and Calgary Stampeders
. He helped the Stampeders win the 2008 Grey Cup
.
at San Francisco in 1997, Walls attended St. Mary's College of California and transferred to the City College of San Francisco
then to Boston College
. He played in 21 games for the Eagles
and recorded 84 tackles
, four sacks
, nine interception and 17 pass breakups. At the City College of San Francisco he won a junior college championship and was a teammate of quarterback
Nick Rolovich
.
after going undrafted in the 2002 NFL Draft
. After his signing, Walls became the tallest cornerback
in the NFL at 6'4". He played in 13 games as a rookie in 2002 and recorded six tackles all on special teams. His only defensive appearance came against Baltimore
, however his only stats of the game came on special teams with two tackles. His first forced fumble was against the St. Louis Rams
.
In 2003, Walls started all 16 games and ranked fifth on Denver with 68 tackles and led the team with 20 pass breakups. His 20 pass breakups
were the most in Denver history since Ray Crockett
had 21 in 1997. Against San Diego
he had six tackles while against Cincinnati
he had five tackles and three pass breakups. In the AFC
Wildcard game he recorded three tackles and a forced fumble.
In 2004, Walls played in seven games and had 21 tackles along with two pass breakups. He was later placed on injured reserve
with a shoulder
injury. In his season debut on September 12, he recorded four tackles before suffering the shoulder injury. After the injury he played sporadically, either missing whole games or leaving in the fourth quarter or earlier.
In his final season in Denver, Walls had 16 tackles in seven games, with his final appearance as a Bronco coming against the New York Giants
on October 23, 2005. He was placed on injured reserve with a groin
injury on November 5, 2005.
on April 1, 2006. He played in all of the Chiefs 16 games and started two. In his 16 games he had 29 tackles. After the 2006 season his contract expired and he was not re-signed.
as an unrestricted free agent. Walls played in five games and recorded nine tackles. He was waived on October 12, 2007.
on May 20, 2008. He was released at the end of training camp.
on September 22, 2008. His first two weeks with Calgary were spent on the practice roster before being activated and starting against the Saskatchewan Roughriders
on October 13. Against the Roughriders he led the Stampeders with nine tackles and recorded his first interception in the CFL. After his debut in Calgary, he started every game for the rest of the year. In all of his starts with the Stampeders he got multiple tackles. He ended up with 23 tackles on the year but missed the playoffs including Calgary's 96th Grey Cup
victory with an injury.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was signed by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
.
Walls has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
. He helped the Stampeders win the 2008 Grey Cup
96th Grey Cup
The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
.
College career
After graduating from Galileo High SchoolGalileo Academy of Science and Technology
Galileo Academy of Science and Technology is a public secondary school located in San Francisco's Russian Hill and Marina District neighborhoods...
at San Francisco in 1997, Walls attended St. Mary's College of California and transferred to the City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is a two-year community college in San Francisco, California. The Ocean Avenue campus, in the Ingleside neighborhood, is the college's primary location...
then to Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. He played in 21 games for the Eagles
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
and recorded 84 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, four sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, nine interception and 17 pass breakups. At the City College of San Francisco he won a junior college championship and was a teammate of quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Nick Rolovich
Nick Rolovich
Nick Rolovich is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the offensive coordinator at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He was an quarterback with the Las Vegas Gladiators in the Arena Football League. He majored in economics at the University of Hawaii...
.
Denver Broncos
Walls signed with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
after going undrafted in the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. After his signing, Walls became the tallest cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
in the NFL at 6'4". He played in 13 games as a rookie in 2002 and recorded six tackles all on special teams. His only defensive appearance came against Baltimore
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, however his only stats of the game came on special teams with two tackles. His first forced fumble was against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.
In 2003, Walls started all 16 games and ranked fifth on Denver with 68 tackles and led the team with 20 pass breakups. His 20 pass breakups
Pass deflected
In American football a pass deflected, also known as a pass defended, a pass defensed, a pass knock down, or a pass break up, is an incomplete pass that is caused by a defensive player...
were the most in Denver history since Ray Crockett
Ray Crockett
Donald "Ray" Crockett is a former American football player in the National Football League. He earned two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos as a cornerback. Ray played his high school football at Duncanville High School...
had 21 in 1997. Against San Diego
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
he had six tackles while against Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
he had five tackles and three pass breakups. In the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Wildcard game he recorded three tackles and a forced fumble.
In 2004, Walls played in seven games and had 21 tackles along with two pass breakups. He was later placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
injury. In his season debut on September 12, he recorded four tackles before suffering the shoulder injury. After the injury he played sporadically, either missing whole games or leaving in the fourth quarter or earlier.
In his final season in Denver, Walls had 16 tackles in seven games, with his final appearance as a Bronco coming against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 23, 2005. He was placed on injured reserve with a groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
injury on November 5, 2005.
Kansas City Chiefs
Walls signed with the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on April 1, 2006. He played in all of the Chiefs 16 games and started two. In his 16 games he had 29 tackles. After the 2006 season his contract expired and he was not re-signed.
St. Louis Rams
On April 4, 2007, he signed with the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
as an unrestricted free agent. Walls played in five games and recorded nine tackles. He was waived on October 12, 2007.
Baltimore Ravens
Walls signed with the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on May 20, 2008. He was released at the end of training camp.
Calgary Stampeders
Walls signed with the Calgary StampedersCalgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
on September 22, 2008. His first two weeks with Calgary were spent on the practice roster before being activated and starting against the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
on October 13. Against the Roughriders he led the Stampeders with nine tackles and recorded his first interception in the CFL. After his debut in Calgary, he started every game for the rest of the year. In all of his starts with the Stampeders he got multiple tackles. He ended up with 23 tackles on the year but missed the playoffs including Calgary's 96th Grey Cup
96th Grey Cup
The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
victory with an injury.