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Walker wants to go from the field to the court(room) as a lawyer

URBANA — There are endless famous fictional lawyers, from "Atticus Finch" to "Perry Mason" to "Ben Matlock."

All great characters. None of them actually tried a case.

Bobby Walker's career ambition was sparked by a real lawyer: family friend Mark Burden.

Like Walker, a junior tight end at Illinois, Burden played college football. He was an offensive lineman for Cornell in the late 1980s.

"We always used to talk about football when I was little and that he was a lawyer and he loves doing it," Walker said.

There have been other role models.