Jaguars select Georgia Edge Rusher Travon Walker in NFL draft

Jaguars select Georgia Edge Rusher Travon Walker in NFL draft.  

The first five players chosen on Thursday night are all defensive players. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker, with the first overall pick.

There wasn’t an offensive skill player until Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London was selected with the eighth overall pick.

For the second year in a row, the Jaguars kicked off the celebrations, and they were sold on Walker. 

He had six sacks last season while helping Georgia win the national championship. In three seasons, he had 9.5 sacks in 36 games.

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Walker started all 15 games last season after never having started before.

Walker ran a 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds and is the first Georgia athlete to go No. 1 overall since quarterback Matthew Stafford was taken by the Detroit Lions in 2009.

To begin the 2021 draught, Jacksonville selected Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

The Detroit Lions selected defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, with the second overall pick. 

After starring at Michigan, the Heisman Trophy runner-up was happy to stay in the neighborhood.

Hutchinson told NFL Network, “I’m pleased I get to go back to Detroit, go back to Motor City, maybe win some ballgames and get back to winning.” “I’m pumped.”

Last season, Hutchinson established a school record with 14 sacks and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

The Houston Texans selected LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. with the third overall pick, despite having only appeared in 10 games in the previous two seasons.

Due to a foot ailment, Stingley was restricted to three games in 2021. 

Still, NFL teams never forgot about the skills he demonstrated as a consensus All-American in 2019. 

He had six interceptions in 15 games that season and helped the Tigers capture the national championship.

With Cincinnati starter Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, the New York Jets also selected a cornerback at No. 4.

The Bearcats’ quarterback, who had nine career interceptions in 37 games (28 starts), flaunted a new SAUCE necklace.

“Fans of the Jets are well aware of this. They are aware of the sauce. There’s no such thing as too much sauce, “Gardner remarked. 

“As a result, I added a new ingredient: more sauce. This beautiful jewelry is the icing on the cake.”

The New York Giants selected Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, with the fifth overall pick.

Over three seasons with the Ducks, Thibodeaux had 35.5 tackles for loss, including 19 sacks, in 32 games (21 starts).

“Joining the Giants just to be a part of the family and an organization like this is absurd,” Thibodeaux said.

With the No. 6 pick, the Carolina Panthers ended their defensive player shopping spree by selecting North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

Ekwonu, who grew up in Charlotte and played 31 games for NC State (27 at left tackle, four at left guard), was pleased to be selected by the Panthers.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s all so strange, “Ekwonu remarked. “I grew up as a Carolina Panthers fan, and now I will be in that building,” says the fan.

The Giants were on the board again at No. 7. They chose offensive tackle Evan Neal of Alabama, following the Panthers’ lead.

Neal started all 40 games for Alabama and has experience starting 15 games at left tackle, 13 games at left guard, and 12 at right tackle. 

In 2021, he was a unanimous All-American left tackle.

Atlanta selected London at No. 8, the highest pick for a wide receiver since Julio Jones was selected sixth overall in 2011.

In 27 games at USC, London caught 160 passes for 2,153 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

Despite missing the whole season due to an ankle injury, he had 88 receptions in just eight games. 

He was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.

The Seattle Seahawks selected Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross with the ninth overall choice. 

Over the last two seasons, Cross has started 22 games at left tackle and garnered first-team All-SEC honors.

The Jets selected Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson, with the 10th overall choice in the draught. 

Wilson caught 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.