Jaguars select Georgia DE Travon Walker with No. 1 pick of 2022 NFL Draft
The Jacksonville Jaguars made the rumors official Thursday night and selected Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Travon Walker with the first pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Walker is a 6-foot-5, 272-pound defensive end who played three seasons at Georgia and stepped into the team's starting lineup for the 2021 season. He finished the year with six sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. The Bulldogs defense allowed just 10.2 points per game, the fewest in the nation, and led the team to a 33-18 win against Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Michigan pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson finished the 2021 season with 14.0 sacks and was long expected to be Jacksonville's selection until reports in the last week indicated the Jaguars were leaning toward Walker. At the 2022 NFL Combine, Walker ran a 4.51 40-yard dash with a 35.5-inch vertical jump. Hutchinson ran his 40-yard dash in 4.74 seconds and recorded a 36-inch vertical.
The Jaguars picked first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft as well and selected quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In his rookie season, Lawrence threw 12 touchdowns and a league-high 17 interceptions. The team went 3-14, finished last in points scored and allowed the fifth-most points in the NFL. Former top-10 draft pick Josh Allen led the team in sacks with 7.5.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Jaguars made an effort to trade out of the first overall selection before picking Walker, but struggled to find any takers.
Jacksonville is scheduled to pick next with the first selection of the second round, No. 33 overall.
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