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The wait is over and the Jacksonville Jaguars have turned in the card for the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. The team ended up going with Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker, who was believed to be the top option in the eyes of general manager Trent Baalke.
Many national analysts believed the best player in the draft was Michigan pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, but despite that, the Jags went with a player who is thought to have more upside. The Jags’ decision to take Walker occurred as he’s coming off a 2021 season where he helped the Georgia Bulldogs win the national championship over Alabama.
Last season, Walker accumulated 37 total tackles (18 of which were solo). He also had two pass deflections and six sacks. Overall, he finished his junior season with the Bulldogs with 61 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks.
After earning a national championship title, Walker went on to impress at the 2022 Scouting Combine. At 272 pounds, he ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash and registered a 123″ broad jump figure. With such numbers, it appears Baalke sees Walker as an Aldon Smith-like athlete, who was one of his draft selections in San Francisco.
On film, Walker’s explosion appears elite, which explains his tremendous 40-time. At 6-foot-5, he will bring a long-framed athlete with 35.5-inch arms into the mix for the Jags’ defense. That’s certainly something they could use after the unit ranked 20th last season.
Walker will undoubtedly have his doubters heading forward because he wasn’t viewed as the best player in the draft. However, if he can get to the quarterback as Smith did for Baalke in San Francisco, those critics would be quickly silenced.