The 2022 NFL Draft is now three days away and the Jacksonville Jaguars will soon be conducting meetings (or at least one more meeting) to decide who they will take with the top pick. Last week general manager Trent Baalke said the team was down to four options and most seem to be on the same page of who they could be.
Georgia’s Travon Walker may be the player of the group who is the most discussed within the fanbase because of Baalke’s fascination with traits. The former Bulldog certainly isn’t lacking in the category and his performance at the 2022 Scouting Combine proved it as he ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash and registered a 123″ broad jump figure at 272 pounds.
In his mock draft posted on Monday, NBC Sports’ Peter King had the Jags going with the Georgia star, while warning readers to expect a surprise. He also threw another name out there who would fit that description in N.C. State’s Ikem Ekwonu.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, defensive lineman, Georgia
Expect a surprise, I heard out of Jacksonville recently. Hmmm. That would eliminate Aidan Hutchinson here. The trendy pick after that has been Walker, so that really wouldn’t be much of a surprise. Ikem Ekwonu, perhaps? I’ll go with the one-year-college-start upside guy, Walker.
King’s statements about the Jags are a little contradictory because taking Walker wouldn’t exactly be a surprise when considering Baalke’s past. Ekwonu, on the other hand, would be more of a surprise, or even Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal.
If it’s one of the offensive tackles that the Jags go with, it certainly would be a good thing for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The team appears set at the left tackle position for 2022 after using the franchise tag on Cam Robinson, but the right tackle position is a little more uncertain. In the end, the Jags could move 2022 second-round pick Walker Little there if not a rookie tackle, which would indicate that Ekwonu or Neal would have to play guard in Jacksonville for their rookie seasons.
Many fans may question the Jags for going with an offensive tackle first overall. However, a line with Cam Robinson, Brandon Scherff, Little, and Ekwonu or Neal would be the best offensive line the team has had in a while on paper.
As for Walker, his selection could indicate that Baalke is looking to get another Aldon Smith-like playmaker for the organization. With the Jags’ defense ranking 20th overall last season, they could use that type of a player but it’s hard to guess how Walker will fare as an edge-rusher in the NFL.
