1 picks and is hoping to become the first for both to work out. Jacksonville is the fourth NFL franchise with back-to-back No. The Jaguars plan to take it slow with Walker, letting him learn the outside linebacker position before shuffling him to other spots along the defensive front. “He’s the real deal now.”Īdded Baalke: “He checked all the boxes throughout the process.”
“There’s not a single red flag,” Muschamp said. He started all 15 games in 2021, finishing with 37 tackles, including 7½ for a loss, and two pass breakups. He bided his time as a backup for two years at Georgia and started to blossom as a junior. He signed with the Bulldogs and played college ball a little more than 100 miles from his hometown. Once a two-sport star with NBA dreams at Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Georgia, Walker eventually settled on football and quickly became one of the most sought-after recruits in talent-rich Georgia. “I swear to God he could line up at middle linebacker and go be fine. “He’s an athletic freak,” Georgia defensive coordinator Will Muschamp told The Associated Press. His highlights include more than sacks he stops the run, tackles speedy receivers in the open field and tips passes that lead to interceptions. He had 9½ sacks in three years in Athens, Georgia, including six during last season’s national championship run.īut Baalke and Pederson see a more versatile player in Walker, who logged snaps at defensive end, defensive tackle and outside linebacker in Georgia’s vaunted defense last fall. Critics argued that Hutchinson was the more polished product and pointed to Walker’s limited college numbers. Picking Walker wasn’t close to the slam dunk drafting quarterback Trevor Lawrence was a year ago. One of the things I loved about our process was the communication and us being on the same page.” I just want to go on record and say it was never that way.
“This thing was never split,” said Pederson, who reportedly wanted North Carolina State left tackle Ickey Ekwonu. General manager Trent Baalke had been leaning toward Walker for weeks, maybe even months, and new coach Doug Pederson insisted he was totally in agreement on selecting the former Bulldogs defender at No. He will join Walker as plug-and-play starters for a defense that is undergoing a major overhaul. Lloyd becomes an immediate replacement for Myles Jack, who was cut earlier this month in a cost-savings move. 106 and 180 to move back into the first round and draft inside linebacker Devin Lloyd from Utah at No. The team traded its second-round pick (No. Jacksonville took the 6-foot-5, 272-pound “athletic freak” over Michigan star Aidan Hutchinson, who set a school record with 14 sacks in 2021 and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. “I was hoping it was the Jaguars from the get-go,” said Walker, who grew up about four hours north in Thomaston, Georgia.
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Placing more emphasis on pro potential than college production, the Jaguars chose Walker to pair with Josh Allen in hopes of turning a mediocre pass rush into one of the best in the league. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu