The first round of the 2022 NFL Draft wrapped up on Thursday night and it is safe to say it was a wild ride for most NFL fan bases. This was especially the case for the one supporting the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jags, who were selected first for the second straight year, delivered a shocker by going with Georgia’s defensive end Travon Walker. Only recently did Walker enter the top 10 conversations, intriguing teams with his athleticism and potential upside. However, not many people were exceptionally high on him entering the draft, and even fewer saw him worthy of a No. 1 selection.
Earlier in the year, there were even questions about whether Walker will be selected in the first round at all. He only managed 9.5 career sacks in his entire college career and didn’t have eye-catching numbers across the board. However, his performance at the NFL combine and physical tools caused his draft stock to rise in recent weeks and got him to the top of the Jags’ draft board.
It’s safe to say that the Jags took Walker not for the player he is now but for the player they believe he can be. Only the time will tell if they got it right.
The Jags made the job easier for the Detroit Lions, who selected Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall pick. Hutchinson was long considered the best player in this year’s draft and as sure pick as it gets. He is coming off a breakthrough season at college in which he had 14.0 sacks and 55 tackles in 14 games.
Two corners went in the top five, with the Houston Texans taking LSU’s corner Derek Stingley Jr. as the third overall pick and the New York Jets selecting Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner fourth overall. The New York Giants drafted Oregon’s defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux with the No. 5 pick.
Check out the full first-round selection of the 2022 NFL Draft below.
