Coming into the 2022 NFL draft, one of the primary questions was whether the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to take the “sure thing” in Michigan edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, or the athletic projection in Georgia multi-gap defender Travon Walker. Those who are aware of general manager Trent Baalke’s history know that he’s more than fine betting on athletic projects, and in the end, that’s what happened. The Jags turned in their card, and Walker’s name was on it.
“The first time I saw him was early October,” Baalke said of Walker after the pick was made. “From that moment on, I felt he had a lot of talent. Obviously, you don’t make the decision in the middle of October or early October. It’s a process, but he checked the boxes as we went through the process.
“This is a guy who played very consistent football all year long. This isn’t a guy who just jumped on the screen because he ran 4.51 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He played some very good football through the course of the year.”
