By Anthony Licciardi
Travon Walker isn’t done surprising just yet.
Few have seen helium in their draft stock like Walker did late in the draft process. Scouts knew of his Herculean measurables and athleticism before the combine, but once those numbers—a 6-foot-5, 272-pound frame, a 4.51 40-yard dash, and a 6.89 3-Cone—became official, it was off to the races.
The Jacksonville Jaguars had their guy and took him with the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
Despite the draft capital invested in him and the gaudy numbers next to his name, Walker hasn’t received the same hype as other edge rushers have. Per DraftKings, Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux both have better odds (+550) to win Defensive Rookie of the Year than Walker (+750).
Successfully betting on Walker would make $750 worth of profit on a $100 bet. If he were to win, he’d propel the Jacksonville defense into relevancy for the first time since 2018.
Can Travon Walker prove Vegas wrong?
Walker’s rookie year will play out on a team that’s not expected to win many games, but hey, Walker is used to defying expectations by now.
The biggest thing standing in his way may be the organization that drafted him. There were reports shortly after the draft that they’d be trying him out at outside linebacker to appeal to their base 3-4 defense. He’d still be primarily rushing the passer there but Jacksonville…do us all a favor and sit in nickel, play Walker at defensive end, and let him eat quarterbacks for a living.
Thankfully, Walker won’t be alone in the pursuit of opposing passers. Former first-round pick Josh Allen is already an established young talent who will earn double teams on his own. Their interior defensive linemen won’t add much to their efforts, but having a second qualified edge rusher is a good start. There’s plenty of room for creativity with the Jaguar’s stable of athletic linebackers, too.
Walker is an absolute freak and should be able to compete physically with NFL starters from the jump. Without a ton of production in college, Walker is looked at as a long-term project, but he may be talented enough to accelerate that timeline.
If he does, the value that exists on his Defensive Rookie of the Year odds today won’t last. He’s a spark plug of excitement and has championship pedigree to his name. He’ll be asked to be *the guy* in Jacksonville. Walker is a hot streak away from earning that title.