The former NFL player Herschel Walker. David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Former NFL player Herschel Walker has emerged as a GOP frontrunner in the Georgia US Senate race. McConnell told Politico he "had a good conversation" with Walker about his Senate bid. "I think there's every indication he's going to be a good candidate," McConnell said of Walker. See more stories on Insider's business page. While some Republicans have questioned whether former NFL player Herschel Walker can defeat Democratic Sen.