KENT, Ohio — Lee Stalker has come full circle.

After nearly being denied a varsity high school football career because of fused vertebrae in his neck, the 2007 Butler graduate is now a starting defensive end for Kent State University.

"Believe me, I appreciate this more than most," Stalker said. "I missed the middle part of my junior season in high school. That's when I realized how badly I wanted to keep playing."

Stalker was a starter for only his senior season at Butler, but made the most of it. He compiled 62 tackles, four quarterback sacks, blocked three punts and recovered three fumbles.

He was named All-WPIAL for his efforts. Still, he was unsure whether he'd be playing college football.

"I went to Kent State for academic reasons," Stalker said. "I wanted to major in architectural studies and there's an outstanding school for that here.

"I walked into the head coach's (Doug Martin) office and inquired about walking on. He said he had to see some film on me first. I brought film in the next weekend."

A week later, Stalker was approved to walk-on.

"I was ecstatic," he said.

That's only been the first step. Stalker won Kent's Defensive Scout Award his first two years with the team. He traveled with the team for its last three road games as a redshirt freshman.

Last year, he was awarded a scholarship and split time at defensive end with a senior.

This year, as a junior, he's a starter.

"It's not something that happens every day," Golden Flashes defensive line coach Matt Edwards said of a walk-on becoming a starter. "But it does happen once in a while.

"Hard work makes it happen. Lee's done nothing but work hard since he's been here. He's earned every bit of this."

Stalker had two unassisted tackles and an assist in the Flashes' 41-10 season-opening win over Murray State. Kent State plays at Boston College and Penn State the next two Saturdays.

Both games will be televised on ESPN network stations.

"I was 6-foot-3 and weighed 210 pounds when I got here," Stalker said. "Now I'm 6-3, 265. I look at pictures from my freshman year and I'm not the same person.

"The lifting program here, the workouts, the running ... Listen to your coaches. It pays off."

Edwards said Stalker serves as a leader on the defensive line for four freshmen playing behind him.

"It's great for the program when a story like Lee's happens," he said. "Everybody on this football team knows he'll be treated fairly.

"Scholarship or walk-on, the best players will play. His drive and leadership skills are Lee Stalker's biggest attributes."

When Stalker won the scout awards, he was playing alongside scholarship players on the scout team.

"I was under-sized, as most freshmen are, going up against guys twice my size," Stalker said. "I got beat more often than not, but it showed me what I had to aspire to be.

"Seniors took me under their wing back then. I plan on doing the same."

Also minoring in sports administration, Stalker plans to return to the Golden Flashes as a fifth-year senior next year.

This year, the team's sights are on making Kent State's first bowl appearance since 1972.

"That's a very attainable goal," Edwards said. "More than that, we're taking aim on the MAC East Division championship."

And Stalker's goal?

"To play a major role in all of that," he said. "Being part of the first bowl team here would do it for me. That'd be the pinnacle. It's right there for us. All we have to do is grab it."