The first surprise of draft week has come early.
With three days to go until NFL Draft 2022 officially kicks off in Vegas, there is a new odds-on favorite to go first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars – Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker.
As of Monday morning, Walker was -150 to be the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s draft on DraftKings Sportsbook, surpassing the previous favorite, Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
Reports out of Jacksonville as recently as last week have indicated that the team is still undecided on whom they will select with the first pick. However, multiple insiders, including The Athletic’s Lance Zierlein and NFL Media’s Peter Schrager, have projected Walker to the Jags at No. 1, noting general manager Trent Baalke’s fondness for players with elite physical traits.
Walker certainly fits into that category. At 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds, Walker ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and showed out in all of the other measurable drills at the combine.
However, his production lags well behind the other edge rushers in the draft. He only had six sacks in 2021, the only season he spent as a full-time starter (he has appeared in 29 total games over three seasons). Hutchinson, meanwhile, had 14 sacks last season for the Wolverines.
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In Monday’s edition of the Football Morning in America column, Peter King wrote that he heard to “expect a surprise” out of Jacksonville – and speculated that it could mean Walker will be the pick. Vegas certainly appears to agree.
