The Jacksonville Jaguars made Travon Walker the surprise number one overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Some mock drafts leading into the draft had Aidan Hutchinson as the top selection.
Meanwhile, some argue that Kayvon Thibodeaux is the rightful number one pick.
But Jacksonville is betting on Walker’s upside, making him the first player off the board.
That draft order gives him a slightly higher rookie deal than the 31 other aspirants called in the first round.
Likewise, he is eligible for a fifth-year option if the team will pick it up.
Meanwhile, NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport tweeted the deal signed by Walker.to officially join the Jaguars.
$37.4M total with a $24.4M signing bonus. No. 1 in the books. https://t.co/JG1POdM1CJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 12, 2022
Rapoport tweeted, “$37.4M total with a $24.4 signing bonus. No.1 in the books.”
He posted this in response to fellow NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo who said, “#Jaguars and Travon Walker have agreed to terms on his contract, sources tell me and @RapSheet. He’ll sign today.”
His contract is fully guaranteed and the Jaguars hope that he will live up to the hype.
In his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs, Walker had 61 total tackles and 9.5 sacks.
His numbers may not be that high, but they are banking on his high ceiling, especially after running the 40-yard dash at 4.51 seconds.
Who Will Have A Better Career?
Walker and Hutchison will be compared throughout their NFL journey because the Jaguars could have selected the former Michigan Wolverine.
Instead, they went for the player with a better upside.
If Hutchinson turns out to be an excellent edge rusher, Jaguars fans will sulk at what might have been.
In contrast, they might be on the verge of another postseason appearance if Walker exceeds expectations.
Leave a Reply