Draft analyst believes that UNC football star Tez Walker could be game-changer in NFL

There's been a lot of chatter over the last few weeks over whether Drake Maye could be the UNC football program's first-ever No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. But Maye isn't the only Tar Heel turning the heads of draft experts. One of those experts is very high on former Tar Heel wide receiver Tez Walker.

On Saturday morning, Trevor Sikkema, the lead NFL Draft analyst for Pro Football Focus, suggested that Walker has the potential to be a game changer when he steps onto an NFL field for the first time.

Pro Football Focus, better known as PFF, is the analytics company owned by NBC Sunday Night Football color man Cris Collinsworth. Sikkema, PFF's counterpart to ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., has been high on Walker for some time.

In January, Sikkema named Walker as one of his favorite draft prospects, calling Walker one of the best in "a very good wide receiver class" because of his "vertical ability" and "fast footwork." While that's no secret to UNC football fans, Sikkema noted that during Walker's one season at Kent State, he more than held his own against Oklahoma, Georgia, and Washington and sometimes "looked like the best athlete on the field."

Earlier this week, Sikkema suggested that Walker could potentially be a good fit for the Cleveland Browns, saying he could be the vertical threat that their passing game needs with his 4.36 second time in the 40-yard dash. When Sikkema sat down with NBC Sports' Connor Rogers this week to run their mock three-round draft, Sikkema had the Browns taking Walker as their second-round pick, 54th overall.

According to Dawg Pound Daily, Walker's stock took a nosedive after an underwhelming week of practice ahead of the Senior Bowl. However, he rebounded at the NFL Combine. In addition to his impressive time in the 40-yard dash, he tallied a 40.5-inch vertical jump. Most mock draft databases have Walker doing in the mid-to-late second round. However, if Sikkema is accurate, Walker could join the long list of steals in the second round.