Is Jaguars' Walker Blossoming In Front of Our Eyes?

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense as a whole did not perform well last season, but one defender who has continued to produce has been Travon Walker.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) and cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) combine to tackle Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut (36) during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense last season as a whole was the second worst in the National Football League, averagely allowing 389.9 yards per game. While the Jaguars look to rebound in 2025, one player that needs to keep doing exactly what he is doing is Travon Walker.

Walker has been with the Jaguars since getting drafted first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Walker was apart of the Jaguars playoff team in 2022 where he had a rather quiet playoff experience before the Jaguars got eliminated in the AFC Championship Game.

Since his rookie season, Walker has only improved. Each season he has set a new total tackle high, as this past season Walker collected 61 total tackles. On top of the 61 total tackles, Walker also dropped a new career high in solo tackles with 31, and set a new high in stuffs with eight.

The real eye opener for Jacksonville is that Walker is a sneaky defender. Even when the offensive line is protecting their quarterback to the best of their abilities, Walker finds his way to sack them. Collecting 10.5 sacks in 2024, Walker has officially entered his name in the conversation as a defender to watch for 2025.

Walker was tied in 12th place among the NFL quarterback sack leaders, was ranked sixth in sack yards with 89, and collected two forced fumbles while recovering one. The former first overall pick has been flying under the radar as of late, but could be in prime position to break out in 2025.

The Jaguars will need Walker to continue his incline in production, especially if they want to climb the ranks in a very wide open AFC South division. The Houston Texans won the division this past season, but not in eye opening fashion by any means.

Now under new leadership, the Jaguars could make multiple steps forward. Set to compete in his age 24 season, fans should not give up on Walker's future in Jacksonville quite yet. If Walker can continue to bring his best to Jacksonville, the defense should hopefully take strides in the right direction. After all, defense wins games.

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