It’s been widely assumed ever since the NFL Draft Combine, that Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will be the No. 1 overall pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars later this month. Maybe it’s because the organization franchise-tagged left tackle Cam Robinson, eliminating an offensive lineman. But not so fast, according to some NFL insiders who believe Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker could go No. 1 overall instead.
Not only has it been suggested by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein that Jags’ general manager Trent Baalke is growing fond of Walker, he even has compared him to Aldon Smith, who he once selected seventh overall during his time in San Francisco.
Like Hutchinson, Walker was superb at the combine, where he put on a ridiculously athletic display.
Travon Walker combine numbers
- 6-foot-5, 272 pounds
- 4.51 40-yard dash
- 35.5 inch vertical
- 10 ft 3 inch broad jump
- 35 1/2″ arm length
It’s not common for a dude that size to move that quick. Walker, after putting together a strong campaign for the most dominant defense in college football a season ago, is generating a lot of pre-draft momentum.
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Travon Walker the top-rated draft prospect?
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, Walker has made his way to the very top of some teams’ draft boards, which means the Jaguars might not be alone in their line of thinking, if that is indeed the case.
We can’t fall for every rumor and blurb that emerges prior to the draft, it’s smokescreen season, but they’re still fascinating to think about, even years after the fact. Is this Baalke’s attempt at slowly building up the hype surrounding his new potential face of the defense? Or is he having a bit of fun ahead of draft day?
It seems odd for reports to contain the same verbiage from so many other sources that state they come from Baalke. How many media member pals is Baalke willing to share his plans with? We may not find out their exact plans until the Jags are on the clock Thursday, April 28, but by all appearances, the pick will be a defensive lineman or edge rusher, we’re just starting to lose grip on which one.
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