Walker is an impressive rusher, with a quick get-off, great change-of-direction skills, and violent and active hands at contact. From that moment on, I felt he had a lot of talent. He also put them in context in assessing Walker, who drew high marks as a gap-sound lineman who rarely was found out of position. If you want to see Walker on the edge, beating Alabama left tackle Evan Neal, who was taken seventh overall by the Giants well, we do have that for you. But ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. knows who will be blocking for the mystery QB, based on his latest first-round mock for the 2023 . Mobile quarterbacks might not know what to do with that. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Thursday, March 2, 12:12AM. With the first pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the JacksonvilleJaguars select Georgia EDGE Travon Walker. Luke Easterling breaks down how Travon Walker fits with the Jacksonville Jaguars and details his ceiling and floor as a prospect. With Smarts defense, as Walker said, youre dealing with alternate responsibilities. In Kirby Smarts defense, everybody gets to drive for a little while. Having the first overall pick in the NFL Draft comes with a lot of pressure . Mathis was a second-round pick by the Commanders, who are addicted to Tide linemen (not a bad thing). Were going to see how it is during the season.. Size and speed are easy enough to quantify. The crucial question here is: Do broken and missed tackles commute? and if it shows up in college, it will surely show up in the NFL. Of their last five defensive first-round picks, only Josh Allen and K'Lavon Chaisson are still with the team, and Walker plays in the same position Chaisson does. What he's shown is exactly what Pederson envisioned when he and his staff sat down and watched prior to the draft, the head coach said. MORE: Former Cowboys DE Taco Charlton throws NFL draft shade back at Jerry Jones after owner's joke. The play that best shows what Smart wants and installed on his team came on a 24-yard completion to Alabama receiver Agiye Hall. There were other times when Walker, at end, was directed to contain the running back hug him in Georgia parlance and in some cases, he was able to break off that role and blow up quick passing plays after that responsibility had changed through deployment. Dont make it any bigger than its supposed to be.. Per ESPN Stats & Info, new Jaguars DE Travon Walker is the first player selected first overall in the common draft era (since 1967) that never made an All-Conference or All-American team in college. The Football Database has sack data on individual player pages, including sack yards lost. Theres an entirely legitimate argument to be made that Walker benefited to an insane degree by the fact that he was surrounded with generational first-round defensive talent all around him. Walker, 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, has lived football throughout his life. Hanson had the Cardinals taking him at 23rd, Kiper and McShay had the Cowboys picking him at 24th and 27th respectively, while Reuter didn't have a team taking him until the second round. In reply to Interesting. Kirby Smarts team-building philosophy wasnt best shown on Kelee Ringos game-sealing interception. But a lowest-in-the-nation blown block rate certainly isn't a bad thing. There are pass-rushers with more finished traits in this class, but perhaps nobody with more potential, both inside and outside, than Walker. It was nothing to be concerned about. The Jacksonville Jaguars exited Friday's game still looking for their first preseason win after a 24-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Thats great in the abstract, especially in todays NFL, but you want to see a guy winning from all of those gaps if youre putting him there. And while Liberty is a weak program, so were most of their opponents. Sack! "My life revolves around the game of football, so its all the same lifestyle," he said. Slide over to the outside and Tulsa draft board-riser Tyler Smith was charged with just eight blown blocks in 860 snaps for a 0.9% blown block rate, which ranked sixth in the nation at left tackle. He's going to be fun to watch, I think, all season.'. There was a moment even more telling about the Georgia program than when former walk-on Stetson Bennett threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to 3-star freshman A.D. Mitchell. Outside linebacker Josh Allen leads the team with a 14.4% pressure rate, and Dallas outside linebacker Dante Fowler leads all NFL players with a minimum of 100 pass-rush snaps with a 19.4% . Dean had a moment similar to Walkers. ESPN's Todd. A team that needs immediate offensive line help will need to look to a more polished player. Can any team really afford to do that? But Kirby Smart said all season this was a player-led team. Theres a lot of expectations that come with it. GRADE: A-. All rights reserved. Picture Information. Walker has a respectable 19 tackles, and is one of 13 Bulldogs with at least one sack (2.5 for losses of 16 yards). Here are the 2021 BMT% figures of note for the 2022 running back draft class: Walker-versus-Hall would have been a great first-round draft debate 30 years ago. 1 overall to the Jaguars. In reply to A post-fumble completion for by Travis. Walker had six sacks last season; Robert Beal led the team with 6.5, and linebacker Nakobe Dean was the only other player on that defense with more than six sacks (6.0). Touchdown Wire's Laurie Fitzpatrick highlights the top throws made by the NFL's rookie quarterbacks in their first preseasons. Per ESPN Stats & Info, new Jaguars DE Travon Walker is the first player selected first overall in the common draft era (since 1967) that never made an All-Conference or All-American team in college. Travis Etienne Jr 2021 Playbook ROOKIE Patch 11/25. The two have for lack of a better phrase been attached at the hip. There was Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson, a dominant pass rusher who won the Lombardi Award for top college lineman. Taven Bryan managed only 86 total tackles in four seasons and is now on the Browns. If it's clear the quarterback intended to pass before he fell down, it's a sack with no sacker. They call it BT+MT/A. While theres no disputing his raw athleticism and the major force he provided for one of the best defenses in college football history, Walker steps foot into the NFL already challenged to prove some serious doubters wrong. This a coaching matter, not a fatal flaw, but it does bear notice. 'That being said with Georgia their system was not asking guys (to do a lot).'. Sorry, Travon. Just be where your feet are, Walker said. Another example this time against Texas, where Walker doesnt really have an answer to getting doubled on an inside stunt. General manager Trent Baalke and coach Doug Pederson knew Walker was raw as a pass-rusher since he mainly played along the interior of the defensive line at Georgia. Its a longer season, so you have to take things like that into account," he said. Though he's used to tough camp battles during his time with the Georgia Bulldogs, the NFL is different. Scouting reports mentioned his size, 'violent' hands, upper and lower body strength, and run defense as positives about his game. Travon Walker falls all the way to the teens in an ESPN re-draft of the 2022 class. Weight: 290 pounds. But the simple fact of the matter is that the NFL Draft is rarely an . And then a little bit further down the list we get to Travon Walker. 3 defensive tackle in the country for the 2019 class, per 247 Sports. Jacksonville also traded up to the 27th pick in the first round to select Utah linebacker/edge-rusher Devin Lloyd, who might have been the Pac-12s best player in 2021. Jaguars pick Travon Walker at No. Key's perspective for Walker is unique, though because he plays a similar role that Walker played while he was at Georgia rushing from the inside. Walker instantly became one of the faces of the franchise before he could step foot in Duval County after his selection. Full disclosure: SackSEER metrics will be published soon here at Football Outsiders (they are already at ESPN+) and SackSEER adores Walker. Travon Walker Stats, News and Video - OLB | NFL.com Loading Travon Walker OLB #44 Jacksonville Jaguars active Info Stats Player Info Height 6-5 Weight 272 Arms 35 1/2 Hands 10 3/4. First sack of #Jaguars OLB Travon Walkers career: pic.twitter.com/YWDhPI7DQg, It will be the same, the same that you guys have seen in the preseason," he said. That also lets you recalculate rushing production excluding sacks, e.g. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) throws a pass while under pressure from Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker (44) during the first half of an NCAA college football game,. In reply to Another interesting wrinkle by Travis. "Just coming from college to the NFL its a big difference in the practice structure.. He finished third in the conference to teammate Travon Walker and Alabama's Phidarian Mathis among players listed as defensive tackles with 29 pressures in 2021. Walkers monster workout at the combine included an uncanny 4.51-second 40-yard dash time for a man measuring 6-5, 272 pounds. Left tackle Dan Moore was credited with allowing 34 pressures this season by PFF, sixth most in the NFL. What possible use could that morsel of information have? It's also available for basketball, baseball and hockey. 'Now, we stress stay away from the quarterback's head. The excitement of being in the NFL hasn't worn off, though. His 12 quarterback pressures also tie for third-most on the team. Walker and interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter tied for the team lead with 34 pressures each, per Pro Football Focus. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. About an hour before the Jacksonville Jaguars ended the suspense and selected Georgia defensive end Travon Walker with the No. He's accounted for three total pressures, one sack and two "stops," according to the football analytics website. But we're not evaluating a top-10 pick here. Contrast Olave with Williams on a yards-per-target basis and there would be little question that Williams is the better overall deep threat, setting aside his January ACL tear. "Once Im on that field Im in go mode. Now, Walker must navigate through his rookie season, starting as part ofa defense that will depend on him throughout the year. How much does Travon Walker weigh? Its not, at the end of the day, how many sacks they tally or how many pressures they have. This is a vile pressure look. ytw_44. Also imagine packages in which Jacksonvilles suddenly-talented group of linebackers (Lloyd, third-round pick Chad Muma from Wyoming, and free-agent stud Foyesade Oluokun) moving around and creating offensive disruption through scheme. Various metrics keep telling us that Allgeier has the potential to be productive in the NFL. Last season, Hutchinson had 72 pressures, and Ojabo had 42. Walker had a pushing-an-official problem but otherwise was a good three-down playmaker. Walker will simply have to learn how to do more than push and grapple in these situations. Travon Walker vs Aidan Hutchinson edge pressure rate: - TW: 9% - AH: 18% < pass-rush win rate on 3rd & 4+: - TW: 11% - AH: 24% < % of pressures that were unblocked/cleanup: - TW: 49% - AH: 25% < 3-cone: - TW: 6.89 - AH: 6.73 < same 10 time arm: - TW: 35 1/2 < - AH: 32 1/8 Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 26, 2022 When you have a 6-foot-5, 272-pound defensive lineman who runs a 4.51 40-yard dash and a three-cone drill time of 6.89 seconds (which would be pretty good for a receiver or cornerback), that was going to get people sitting up and taking notice. He also earned an impressive BackCAST grade. Baalke knows all about the sack numbers. Tolbert faced Sun Belt competition and dealt with some early-career knee injuries that might scare off some teams, But I like him better than several of the somewhat similar mid-round deep threats (Nevada's Romeo Doubs, Cincinnati's Alec Pierce) in this class. The manual doesn't clarify what to do if it's a pass. North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell finished second, enduring 48 sacks. 1:52 Travon Walker was standing in the home locker room of TIAA Bank Field for the final time of his rookie season. Caldwell was Tampa Bays inside linebackers coach from 2019 through 2021, so one imagines he picked up a few things from Todd Bowles on how to mess people up with different fronts and blitzes. It was different, and for of all Georgias historically great defensive play, they didnt really have one alpha pass-rusher Georgias pass rush came from a combination of deployment and scheme more than the four-on-the-floor stuff that help to define edge defenders in more obvious ways. In 2023, Walker will earn a base salary of $870,000 and a roster bonus of $1,553,756, while carrying a cap hit of $8,513,778 and a dead cap value of . JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - About an hour before the Jacksonville Jaguars ended the suspense and selected Georgia defensive end Travon Walker with the No. In Johnson's case, a low blown block rate helps flesh out his scouting report. He could very well be the top corner in the league for years to come. 'The golden rule of scouting was we don't draft production, we draft traits. Travon Walker: 10.1% win rate, 34 pressures. Similarly, he low-keyed an automobile accidentrecently that might have made Pedersons heart skip a beat. Howell, whose early-career sack rates are also high (for an offense which featured Dyami Brown, Dazz Newsome, Javonte Williams, etc. Buffalo Bills: Tennessee WR . I thought this discussion was limited to Power 5 conferences. April 28, 2022 8:21 pm ET. Frankly, Walker's Vernon Gholston/Dion Jordan toolsy bust potential is just too great for me to swallow high in the first round of a draft class loaded with excellent defensive prospects. He will be a top-10 pick in 2023. Walkers combination of wingspan and upper-body strength will make NFL guards wary of that first move. Tsss, In reply to We all know itshouldbe by fynsta. Weight: 275 lbs. No, he's surrounded by plenty of players that have done it at the highest level of football, including some ex-players as his coaches like Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell. Walker and interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter tied for the team lead with 34 pressures each, per Pro Football Focus. Pete Carroll and John Schneider knew they had to change their draft philosophy in 2022, and they explained it at the scouting combine. Interesting. There are a lot of ways to look at production. And this week, we were reminded of the Dallas Cowboys' decision near the end of the first round in 2017, when they drafted defensive end Taco Charlton with the 28thpick overall. 1 overall, will he be another Courtney Brown? We understand that. Walker really isnt an edge bender per se at least, not at this point in his career. In Reuter's scouting report of Walker for NFL.com, he said Walker, 'will need scheme help as (an) NFL rusher.'. If he can work on disengaging here, he will be even scarier. Walker, of course, was the top overall pick by the Jaguars last year. And its really a good thing that you can do all of that, play defensive end at University of Georgia. Due to his position and the nature of the business, Walker is going to deal with some of the best of the best opposite of him, but he's going to be giving it his best shot, just like everyone else. Think of him as a three-level playmaker when lined up inside: he can do screen stuff, work the intermediate middle, or be effective in the 15- to 20-yard range. If you can play defensive end at the University of Georgia, it means a lot.. Draft Year 2022. Another interesting wrinkle is the down-without-contact rule in NCAA -- you can fall down and auto-sack yourself in a way you can't under NFL rules. While he may be excited to get started with the Jaguars, the team does not have a good history of developing defensive first round picks and keeping them. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? It isn't always easy being the first-overall pick. Height: 6'5". C.J. Still, being the No. Thanks to a stellar NFL Combine performance, Walker shot up mocks and team's draft boards alike. Those are the conversations Mike and I have had, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after Caldwell was hired to run Jacksonvilles defense. We all know he's a raw traits guy, but just how raw are we talking about? Hall tops Walker in our BackCAST projections, and nothing about finishing a narrow second to him in BMT% contradicts that. As always, Football Outsiders' 2022 NFL draft coverage is presented by Underdog Fantasy! South Alabama's Jalen Tolbert is a long, lean boundary threat who averaged 17.6 yards per reception over his college career. 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