By Jacob Lee — Reporter
It was freshman orientation at San Jose State. I was in a group with a couple wide-eyed incoming freshmen.
At this time I had been in San Jose for a month or so practicing for the men’s water polo team. So, I immediately clicked with these two football players. One of them turned out to be SJSU standout wide receiver Tre Walker, who declared for the NFL Draft today.
Walker and I connected over playing sports and talked about where we were from. He was explaining to me how he was from Inglewood, California. Less than an hour from where I grew up.
When I found out that he played wide receiver, I was excited. Back in my day, I had played wide receiver on a city youth team.
Being a cocky collegiate athlete, I remember cracking jokes with Walker, telling him that I could “lock him up.”
One moment that I specifically remember is that Walker told me that he was going to the NFL.
I laughed.
I had heard stories from the older guys on the water polo team that told me how bad our football program was. And I hadn’t heard of anyone from SJSU going pro in any sport.
“If we aren’t throwing the ball a ton he is an awesome blocker,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan, who has a close relationship with Walker. “You’ve seen him make plays on special teams this season. I think that just shows his growth and how much he’s becoming a more complete football player.”
Walker’s wide receiver coach Kevin Cummings also had some words about the draft hopeful.
“Tre has always been talented,” Cummings said. “The spectacular catches that you see, he’s been making those plays since he was a little kid so that stuff is super natural to him.”
Walker is now ranked third in receptions and receiving yards in the history of Spartan football.
As I’ve watched SJSU football games the past couple of seasons, I’ve been having flashbacks from that freshman orientation.
Flashbacks of me clowning Walker when he told me he was going to the league. Now I see how wrong I was.
When I asked Walker about this interaction over three years ago he said, “It was motivating. I was tripping that I had to prove myself.”
I don’t want to apologize. Maybe I can pretend that it was my joking words that made him the animal he is today.
This kid is the real deal. And he is making me eat my words.
“Tre’s got to continue to work hard,” Cummings said. “He’s got to continue to keep his mental focus locked in but if he does that he will have a very long career at the next level.”
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