Jags take 'athletic freak' Travon Walker with top pick in NFL draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Placing more emphasis on pro potential than college production, the Jacksonville Jaguars chose Georgia pass rusher Travon Walker with the top pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

The Jaguars took the 6-foot-5, 272-pound “athletic freak” over Michigan star Aidan Hutchinson, who set a school record with 14 sacks in 2021 and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.

General manager Trent Baalke had been leaning toward Walker for months and insisted new coach Doug Pederson was totally in agreement on selecting the former Bulldogs defender at No. 1. Critics argued that Hutchinson was the more polished product and pointed to Walker’s limited college numbers. He had 9½ sacks in three years in Athens, Georgia, including six during last season’s national championship run.

But Baalke and Pederson see a more versatile player in Walker, who logged snaps at defensive end, defensive tackle and outside linebacker in Georgia’s vaunted defense last fall. His highlights include more than sacks; he stops the run, tackles speedy receivers in the open field and tips passes that lead to interceptions.

“He’s an athletic freak,” Georgia defensive coordinator Will Muschamp told The Associated Press. “I swear to God he could line up at middle linebacker and go be fine. I would take him at No. 1 and not even blink.”

The Jaguars did just that.

Once a two-sport star with NBA dreams at Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Georgia, Walker eventually settled on football and quickly became one of the most sought-after recruits in talent-rich Georgia. He signed with the Bulldogs and played college ball a little more than 100 miles from his hometown.

He bided his time as a backup during his first two years at Georgia — he made the league’s Freshman All-SEC Team — and really started to blossom as a junior. He started all 15 games in 2021, finishing with 37 tackles, including 7½ for a loss, and two pass breakups.

Muschamp first met Walker when he was 10 years old and now considers him one of the best kids he’s ever coached.

“There’s not a single red flag,” Muschamp said. “He’s the real deal now.”

Jacksonville is the fourth NFL franchise with back-to-back No. 1 picks and is hoping to become the first to nail both selections. Tampa Bay (1976-77, 1986-87), Cincinnati (1994-95) and Cleveland (1999-2000, 2017-18) all failed to find success both times.

The Jaguars believe quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the slam-dunk top choice a year ago, is on the verge of becoming a star and just needs more help around him.

Jacksonville signed tight end Evan Engram and receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones in free agency to help Lawrence. They also brought in five-time Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff to help revamp an offensive line that allowed Lawrence to be sacked 32 times.

Offensive tackles Ikem “Ickey” Ekwonu and Evan Neal were under consideration at No. 1 but improving the team’s pass rush proved to be a more pressing priority. The Jags still expect to use at least two of their 12 total selections to bolster Lawrence’s protection and potentially his receiving corps.

But for now, they have a defensive building block to pair with fellow pass rusher Josh Allen in hopes of immediately improving a defense that ranked 20th in the league in yards allowed in 2021, tied for 27th with 32 sacks and gave up nearly 27 points a game.

No. 2, Lions DE Aiden Hutchinson, Michigan

The Detroit Lions selected Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft Thursday night, addressing a desperate need with a hometown star.

Hutchinson, who is from suburban Detroit, set a single-season school record with 14 sacks for the Wolverines last season and was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

He hugged his parents and two sisters in Las Vegas before going on stage as Detroit’s selection.

Detroit also had an opportunity to add much-needed talent on both sides of the ball with the second pick in the draft, the last one in the first round along with six other selections this week. The Lions seem to have more needs on defense than offense with veteran quarterback Jared Goff surrounded by solid players on the line, at tight end and running back.

Jacksonville took Georgia defensive end Travon Walker No. 1 overall, giving second-year general manager Brad Holmes a chance to draft the best player on the team’s board.

The Lions didn’t waste much time to announce the pick.

Detroit’s defense averaged just 1.8 sacks last year, ranking ahead of only Atlanta. The lack of a pass rush led to the Lions giving up 5.9 yards per play and 27.5 points per game, two more categories in which they ranked No. 31 out of 32 NFL teams.

No. 3, Texans DB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

Derek Stingley Jr., yet another outstanding defensive back from LSU, has been selected third overall by the Houston Texans.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Stingley, who excels in man coverage, was an All-American as a freshman, but injuries, including to his foot in 2021, led to lesser numbers last season.

Still, the grandson of former Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley, who was paralyzed in a 1978 preseason game, has been a coveted cornerback throughout this draft process.

And the Texans need help everywhere.

No. 4, Jets DB Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati

The New York Jets are adding some Big Apple Sauce to their defense.

Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner was taken by the Jets with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound shutdown cornerback didn’t allow a touchdown reception in his three-year college career. He’ll join free agent signing D.J. Reed to give coach Robert Saleh a new-look secondary — with both considered No. 1-type cornerbacks.

Gardner, wearing a diamond-encrusted “SAUCE” medallion and an equally gaudy sauce bottle on a chain around his neck at the draft site in Las Vegas, oozes confidence on and off the field. New York can only hope he can be as dominant a defender as their previous homegrown shutdown cornerback: Darrelle Revis, who went 14th overall in 2007.

No. 5, Giants DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oregon will be bolstering the pass rush for the New York Giants after being chosen fifth overall in the NFL draft.

Thibodeaux, whose burst off the ball is spectacular, is the fifth straight defensive player taken at the top of these selections. The 6-foot-5, 258-pound mainstay of the Ducks regressed a bit since a terrific freshman season, and dealt with injuries.

But New York, which needs help on the offensive line, saw an opportunity for a disrupter on defense knowing there are plenty of blockers still available.

No. 6, Panthers OL Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State

Ikem Ekwonu, considered the premier blocker in this draft, has been selected sixth in the first round by quarterback-hungry Carolina.

He is the first offensive player chosen. It’s the first draft since 1991 that no player on offense went in the top five.

Using long arms and mobility at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Ekwonu has been a team leader for the Wolfpack. He should start immediately at tackle for the Panthers — and whomever is their starting QB.

Nicknamed “Ickey” after former Bengals running back Ickey Woods by a youth football coach, Ekwonu can get too aggressive at times and had 10 penalties in his career. He probably had three times as many pancake blocks.

No. 7, Giants OL Evan Neal, Alabama

Evan Neal, a mammoth 6-foot-7, 335-pounder who has played both tackle positions at Alabama, is the second opening-round pick by the Giants. He’s likely to fit right in with a line that has been a weakness in New York for years.

Neal improved throughout his stay with the Crimson Tide, and his explosion off the snap is exemplary. He started 40 games and missed only one in his three-year career, which ended as an All-American.

He joins edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oregon, whom the Giants took fifth overall.

The Giants got this spot in a trade last year with Chicago, which took quarterback Justin Fields.

No. 8, Falcons WR Drake London, USC

The Atlanta Falcons continued to emphasize their passing game by selecting Southern California wide receiver Drake London with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

London gives Atlanta a much-needed top threat at wide receiver. The selection comes one year after the Falcons chose tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick.

London (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) provides excellent size as well as big-play potential. He had 88 catches for 1,083 yards and seven touchdowns for USC in 2021 and was named the Pac-12 offensive player of the year.

London said he looks forward to joining Pitts as big targets in Atlanta’s passing game, saying: “It’s twin towers.”

Russell Gage was left as the team’s top wide receiver last year when Calvin Ridley played only five games while away from the team addressing mental health issues. Gage signed with Tampa Bay. Ridley was suspended by the NFL for 2022 for betting on games last season.

No. 9, Seahawks OL Charles Cross, Mississippi State

The Seattle Seahawks filled a need at left tackle by selecting Charles Cross with the No. 9 pick in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night.

For just the second time in the Pete Carroll era, the Seahawks had a top 10 selection. And just like they did in 2010, the Seahawks used that top 10 pick on a left tackle.

Cross was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection last season, starting 12 games for the Bulldogs, and he plays a position that’s crucial to the Seahawks. Seattle entered the draft with veteran Duane Brown a free agent after spending the past 4 ½ seasons with the team, and the Seahawks seem hesitant to commit to a lengthy deal with him. Brown will turn 37 before the start of next season.

Seattle was initially without a first-round pick due to the trade for Jamal Adams before the start of the 2020 season. But the trade of Russell Wilson to Denver landed the Seahawks back in the first round and with a top 10 selection for the first time since 2010, which was the first draft with Carroll and general manager John Schneider in charge.