Quay Walker has a bit of a dramatic flair.

Who can forget his signing day ceremony last February at Crisp County High, when he tossed away a Tennessee hat before revealing that he was going to be a Bulldog?

During an interview after the SEC Championship, Walker told the backstory to why he did what did. “I always knew I was going to Georgia,” said Walker, who revealed he knew since Georgia’s 2017 game against Kentucky that he was going to be a Bulldog.

So why the flip?

“I just wanted to wait it out,” he said. “Let everyone know (on signing day) what I was going to do.”

So while Vol fans no doubt have their own opinions of how Walker handed his announcement, he quickly became an instant favorite for those who follow the Red and Black.

On the field, it was a period of adjustment for the former four-star performer during his freshman campaign.

“It was just a learning experience for me. It was a lot. I had to be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Walker said. “It was pretty much just learning to be patient, learning the defense, learning the system. There was a lot that went into it, but I’ve got no regrets about anything. I’m grateful for everything.”

Playing inside linebacker was Walker’s biggest challenge.

In high school, Walker had primarily played on the outside, but when he arrived in Athens in May, head coach Kirby Smart asked him to move to the inside.

It was a more difficult switch than you might think.

“For me, it was pretty hard. Coming in, I had just played outside linebacker, so playing inside linebacker was different,” Walker said. “And like I said, I had to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, making the calls, getting everybody set up. I put a lot of pressure on myself.”

However, Walker had managed considerable improvement. While he’s made just six tackles (three against Georgia Tech), he had played in all 13 of Georgia’s games. Walker (6-foot-4, 240 pounds) feels he’s ready to take the next step and start making a big impact next fall.

“I’m better, way better. I’m maybe at about 70 percent (of what he needs to know),” Walker said. “I’ve talked with Coach Smart and Coach (Glenn) Schumann, and they told me it was pretty much the same (at Alabama) with Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster when they first came, in learning the playbook. So I’m not complaining. I’m just going to wait my turn and everything will work out.”

Walker believes Georgia’s future is even brighter.

Even with the sting of the Bulldogs’ loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship, Walker knows better days are ahead.

“I talked to Otis (Reese). We said this isn’t something we want to go through again. I talked to Tyson (Campbell). We’re going to take this personally, and we’re going to run with it,” Walker said. “I think everybody knows we’re going to be back. We’re not going anywhere.”