The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Travon Walker as the number one overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The defensive end played college football for the star-studded Georgia Bulldogs. However, only a few weeks ago, he would have been considered somewhat of a surprise choice for the number one pick.
The Jacksonville Jaguars had the first-choice pick in the NFL Draft for a second consecutive year. Last year, the Jacksonville outfit selected quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
And Walker wasn’t the only selection the Jaguars made in the first round. They also went for linebacker Devin Lloyd as the 27th overall pick, after sending the first pick of the second round, as well as picks No. 106 and No.180 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A Late Inclusion on Jaguars’ Shortlist
Walker was first touted as the top pick only a few weeks ago. Previously, it was reported that the Jaguars would spend their top pick on a player who was more of an edge rusher, and three names were thrown in the hat, none of them was Travon Walker.
Reports said that Jacksonville’s preference was to go with one of Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, or Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson, a Michigan edge rusher, remained the favorite for the No.1 overall pick until early April.
However, last week, Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke added another name to that list. He told reporters that they were down to four players – Neal, Ekwonu, Hutchinson, and Travon Walker.
Beefing Up the Jaguars’ Defense
But Walker’s late inclusion on the Jaguars’ shortlist doesn’t mean that he wasn’t considered a top talent by other teams. In fact, after putting in an impressive showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, he was included as a top-10 talent. The only problem scouts had with the young defensive end was that he didn’t have a lot of experience as an edge defender.
The second first-round pick for the Jaguars, Devin Lloyd, will make the Jacksonville defense even better. Lloyd was chosen for the All-American Team while in his senior year at Utah, and he is hailed as a player who is both versatile and productive.
Both Walker and Lloyd will get the chance to improve their game by playing opposite Josh Allen, a Pro Bowler, and one of the best players in his position in the league.
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