Arden Walker Declares for the 2026 NFL Draft

That sentence will land differently for everyone who has watched Arden grind, compete, and grow. For fans, it is a milestone. For teammates and coaches, it is a moment of pride. For Arden, it is the next step in a journey defined by work and earned opportunity.

For D Day Leadership Academy, it is also a reminder of something we have believed from the beginning. Leadership is not a title. It is a posture. It is how you carry yourself when nobody is watching, how you respond to pressure, and how you honor the people who helped get you there.

A statement rooted in gratitude and growth

Arden’s announcement was not just a declaration. It was a clear reflection of the kind of man he is choosing to become.

He opened with gratitude to God for the opportunity to pursue his dream and continue playing the game he loves. He thanked his family for the sacrifices and unwavering support that made the journey possible. He recognized the University of Colorado for believing in him and shaping him on and off the field, and he credited Coach Prime for pushing him to elevate his mindset, discipline, and confidence, and for showing him what it means to carry himself as a professional.

He also expressed sincere gratitude to the University of Missouri for welcoming him and helping him continue growing as a player and as a man. He thanked Coach Eli Drinkwitz for trusting him, investing in him, and creating an environment that allowed him to compete, develop, and pursue his best. He also made a point to recognize the coaches who poured into him throughout the process, including Defensive Coordinator Rob Livingston and his position coaches Jethro Franklin, Kevin Peoples, Nick Williams, Vincent Dancy, Warren Sapp, George Helow, Domata Peko, and Dante Carter.

When a young man takes time to name the people behind the scenes, it tells you something. It tells you he understands that excellence is never solo. It is built in community, through accountability, mentorship, and standards.

The part of Arden’s story DLA remembers

In 2015, Arden accompanied a group of World War II veterans to Normandy, France with D Day Leadership Academy.

That trip matters, not because it makes for a good photo, but because it places a young person on ground where history stops being abstract. Normandy has a way of quieting the noise. It strips away the performance and forces a different set of questions.

What is worth enduring for

What kind of man do you want to be when the moment demands it

Who are you when it costs you something

For many students, standing beside veterans, hearing their stories, and seeing the terrain where those stories were written creates a shift that is hard to explain and impossible to forget. It becomes a reference point. A standard. A reminder that courage is not a feeling, it is a decision. That discipline is not restriction, it is freedom. That character is what remains when talent is no longer enough.

Arden has clearly carried those lessons forward. You can hear it in what he chose to emphasize. Gratitude. Responsibility. Growth. Relationship. Humility.

Leadership is revealed by what you honor

A draft declaration is a career move. But Arden’s message was about people.

That is leadership. The ability to hold ambition in one hand and gratitude in the other. The ability to keep climbing without forgetting who steadied the ladder. The ability to pursue the next level while still honoring the foundation.

We talk often about leadership as influence. But the kind of influence that lasts is built on credibility, and credibility is built on character. The way Arden spoke about his family, his programs, and his coaches shows maturity. It shows perspective. It shows that he understands he is representing more than himself.

That is the kind of man we want young people to become, whether they are headed to professional football, the trades, the military, medicine, or a classroom. The path changes. The standard stays.

DLA is in Arden’s corner

D Day Leadership Academy could not be more proud of Arden Walker.

We are proud of the athlete, yes. But more than that, we are proud of the man who took a moment that could have been purely self focused and turned it outward, toward gratitude and recognition.

Arden, you have earned this next step. We will be watching, supporting, and cheering you on with the same conviction we have carried from the start.

Go Arden. Go.