Jaguars Select Georgia Pass-Rusher Travon Walker No. 1 Overall

The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially made their pick, selecting University of Georgia pass-rusher Travon Walker with the No. 1 overall pick to kick off the 2022 NFL Draft.

This is the second year in a row the Jaguars have selected No. 1 overall; last year, they selected Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. This time around, general manager Trent Baalke and new head coach Doug Pederson looked to the defensive line, adding a high-upside talent in Walker to fortify the defensive front.

The Jaguars were linked to Walker, Michigan pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson and North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. Hutchinson was the betting favorite to be the pick following the NFL Scouting Combine, but the odds shifted in Walker's favor starting this Monday. By the eve of the draft, Walker was the strong favorite to be Baalke's and Pederson's selection at No. 1.

“Well that’s the fun part is listening to the coaches because every scheme is a little bit different, coaches use them a little bit differently. So where does that guy fit in our scheme versus where he might fit in another scheme?" Baalke said last Friday when asked about Walker and his potential versatility.

"That’s talked about a lot and you really leave that up to the coaches. You have a vision as a personnel guy where you think a guy could play or should play and then you just give him to the coaches and you hear them out and that’s how you just kind of put the pieces together that way.”

Travon Walker stepped onto Georgia's campus with high expectations and the athletic marvel met them throughout his college career. Ranked a five-star recruit by 247Sports, Walker was the No. 22 ranked prospect in the nation in the 2019 recruiting class. The No. 2 prospect in the state of Georgia, Walker was the country's No. 3 defensive tackle and is considered a top-435 prospect in 247Sports' history. Walker committed to Georgia over offers from Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Clemson.

Walker had a successful first season at Georgia, earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2019 as he was named a co-winner of Georgia's Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. In 12 games, Walker finished with 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and one pass deflection while also contributing on kickoff coverage units.

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).

The Jaguars hold 11 more draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, including three picks in the next two rounds.

Round 2, No. 33 overall

Round 3, No. 65 overall

Round 3, No. 70 overall (via Carolina)

Round 4, No. 106 overall

Round 5, No. 157 overall (via Minnesota)

Round 6, No, 180 overall

Round 6, No. 188 overall (via Seattle)

Round 6, No. 198 overall (via Philadelphia)

Round 6, No. 199 overall (via Pittsburgh)

Round 7, No. 223 overall

Round 7, No. 236 overall (via Baltimore)