2022 NFL Draft: Odds Shift in Travon Walker's Favor For Jaguars at No. 1
The tides have officially shifted.
After Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson spent much of the last two months as the distant favorite to be the No. 1 overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, it appears the court of public opinion has finally changed.
Instead, with just three days before the Jaguars kick off the 2022 NFL Draft, Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker has seen himself turned into the betting favorite, per multiple sportsbooks.
Many have presumed over the last month that Walker could be in serious contention for the Jaguars' No. 1 pick in large part due to general manager Trent Baalke and his history of valuing athletic traits at the top of the draft, especially in defensive linemen.
And while Hutchinson was much more productive in college (17.5 sacks, 27.5 tackles for loss) than Walker was at Georgia (9.5 sacks, 13.0 tackles for loss), Walker does possess more traits in spades. He has a bigger frame, 12 pounds on Hutchinson and his length and wingspan (35.5, 84.25 inches) far outclass Hutchinson's (32⅛, 78⅛ inches).
"I like long arms. Last year’s draft should tell you that. Length’s important. It’s important in every sport," Baalke said in 2014 when he was the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.
"Aldon Smith, great leverage player because you can’t get to him. He’s 36-inch arm length. All of the guys last year on the D-line were 34 or more. I think it’s an important trait. It’s a trait that’s hard to find. If you look at this year’s measurements, you’re not going to find many players in this year’s draft that are 34-plus arm length regardless of position. O-line, D-line, linebacker, so it is a trait we certainly look at."
In 2020, Walker played in nine games and recorded 1.0 sack, 2.0 tackles for loss, one interception, and one forced fumble. Walker then had a career season in 2021, starting all 15 games as Georgia finished the year as National Champions. During Georgia's title run, Walker recorded 6.0 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, two pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and a team-high 36 quarterback hurries.
Walker then had arguably the best combine performance of any defensive player in 2021, measuring at 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds but still running a 4.51 40-yard dash (98th percentile), a 36-inch vertical jump (80th percentile), 123-inch broad jump (87th percentile), 6.89-second three-cone (93rd percentile), and a 4.32 20-yard shuttle (76th percentile).
"I think when you look at both those players, they’re both productive in their own way," Baalke said on Friday about Walker and Hutchinson.
"[They’re] used differently, totally different schemes, used differently within those schemes. Again, you’re looking at them, you’re looking at how they made their plays, how they were used, and then you have a vision for how you can use them. All of that plays a part, but traits are important, production is important. You weigh it all.”
