Jaguars take Travon Walker with No. 1 pick in NFL draft
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker with the first overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Jaguars were believed to be considering Walker, Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, and NC State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu before making the pick.
Walker had only 9.5 career sacks at Georgia, but his stock rose ahead of the draft because of his physical attributes. He drew comparisons to Minnesota Vikings star Danielle Hunter in the pre-draft process in light of his minimal sack production in college paired with his athletic traits.
The 21-year-old Walker will head to a Jaguars team that recorded only 32 sacks last season, which ranked 27th in the NFL. Josh Allen led the club with 7.5 sacks in 2021.
Walker is Jacksonville's second No. 1 overall pick in as many years. The Jaguars selected former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the top selection in 2021.
Scouting profile: Travon Walker
| School | Height | Weight | 40 time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 6'5 | 272 | 4.51 |
Walker is an absolute freak of nature. His 6-foot-5, 272-pound build and 35 1/2-inch arms make it easy to see why evaluators might fall over their chairs for him. On the field, he's still extremely raw as a pass-rusher but has all the tools needed: length, power, explosiveness - you name it. He's a brick wall in run defense, insanely strong, and has shown the ability to drop into coverage. When it comes to Walker's ceiling, the plain truth is that he doesn't have one - though it'll be up to his NFL coaching staff to get the most out of him.