Libertyville's Walter earns strong NFL career

It's funny how making one tiny, seemingly inconsequential, decision as a teenager can change your life.

These days, Kevin Walter is known as one of the hardest-working players in the NFL. The former Libertyville wide receiver is making catches all over the place for the Houston Texans, and nearly set a career-high two weeks ago when he hauled in 11 passes for 144 yards against the Washington Redskins.

But back when he was just getting started in high school, Walter spent a little too much time working on something else.

"He was really into skateboarding," Libertyville football coach Randy Kuceyeski said with a laugh. "When he was a sophomore, he didn't like to lift weights. I told him that if he wanted to be really good, he was going to have to make a decision between lifting weights and skateboarding."

Walter chose the weights. With gusto.

Walter, who wound up leading Libertyville to a 10-1 record as a senior in 1998, wanted to be good, and Kuceyeski hit a nerve.

The light bulb clicked on and whatever enthusiasm Walter had for skateboarding seemed to be transferred ten-fold to weight-lifting and all things football.

He hasn't slowed down since.

Eight years into his NFL career, the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Walter is still often the first player to arrive to practice and the last one to leave, spending extra time in the weight room and film room. He's also obsessed with winning every single sprint at the end of practice.

It's been that kind of work ethic and diligence that has helped Walter each and every day since he left Libertyville buck all kinds of odds on his journey to the big time.

"The only thing you can control is your work ethic," said Walter, who is now 29, married to Caroline, his college sweetheart and the father of a 10-month old daughter, Sienna. "My whole career, I've tried to prove to my coaches that I'll work harder than anyone else."

Walter had to do something to get some attention. He's been overlooked his entire career.

Walter doesn't have a background story typical of a longtime NFL veteran who just signed a big, fat contract. In March, he agreed to a five-year extension with the Texans, who paid him $1.5 million in 2009.

Out of high school, Walter was anything but a hot commodity. He was barely even recruited. In fact, Eastern Michigan was the only school to offer him a scholarship.

"I just didn't get a lot of looks," Walter said. "I also played some tight end and safety in high school, so I think a lot of college coaches didn't know how they would use me. Even Eastern Michigan recruited me as an athlete because they weren't sure where they'd play me."

Walter quickly made his way back to wide receiver and was starting at Eastern Michigan by the time he was a sophomore.

Yet, in spite of putting up impressive numbers during his career there, his NFL prospects were about as plentiful as his college scholarship offers four years before.

It wasn't until the seventh and final round of the 2003 NFL Draft that Walter was selected.

The New York Giants picked him at No. 255, just in the nick of time. There were only seven more players (262 players overall) drafted after him.

"That was a long two days," said Walter, recalling the anguish of draft weekend. "I was just so excited to be getting a chance. That's what I tell the young guys now. It doesn't matter where you're drafted, just as long as you're drafted. All you need is a foot in the door."

But as quickly as the door opened for Walter, it slammed shut. The Giants cut him almost immediately.

"I wanted to show (the Giants) what they were missing," Walter said. "When people tell me I can't do something, it motivates me even more."

From there, it was on to the Cincinnati Bengals, who signed Walter to the practice squad for the 2003 season.

"I started off not being able to play on Sundays," Walter said. "But I just kept working. I did what they asked me to do. I went out and did the dirty work, I was in early and stayed late and I caught the eye of my coaches.

"They decided to activate me."

Walter wound up playing in 11 games during his rookie season.

Four years later, in 2007, the once nearly un-recruited Walter made a career-high 65 catches for 800 yards for the Texans, who acquired him a year earlier. That season, he set his career-high for catches in a game with 12 (160 yards) against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The following season, in 2008, Walter caught 60 passes for a career-high 899 yards and 8 touchdowns.

A full-time starter for the Texans since 2007, Walter has missed only two games in his career. Both misses came last year due to a hamstring injury.

"I put a lot of work in, but I also take really good care of my body. I think that's the other reason I've been blessed to be in this league for as long as I have," Walter said. "And I feel like right now, I'm better and faster than I have ever been. I take a lot of pride in being really fit, in eating right, in treating my body right. I get massages twice a week, I go to the chiropractor twice a week. I do pilates and yoga.

"I even have an oxygen chamber in my house."

Yes, an oxygen chamber.

Walter says it's the latest craze in elite athletic training. Athletes sit in a box, some of which look like coffins, and breathe in streams of fresh oxygen that are supposed to renew tired and sore muscles.

"I sit in there for two hours, maybe three times a week," Walter said with a laugh. "It's actually really great. I'll watch game film in there, I'll take naps. It just makes you feel fresh."

Not that Walter really needs that.

The over-achieving, hard-working underdog was already a big breath of fresh air for the NFL.

pbabcock@dailyherald.com