NFL debut of Travon Walker leaves Kirby Smart impressed

First-overall 2022 NFL Draft pick Travon Walker had a dream of a first game for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, despite the team falling to Washington 28-22. Walker posted four tackles with one sack, one interception and one forced fumble, notching a trifecta of big defensive plays in his debut for the Jags.

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart told reporters on Monday that he had a chance to see the highlights, which didn’t surprise him after seeing Walker make “freaky” things happen for three years in Athens.

“I haven’t spoken to him but I did see the snippets of the highlights and pretty incredible,” Smart said. “Unique for a guy that size and speed to do some of the things he does. Over the last three years here, we saw those. We’ve seen thousands more reps than in games so we’ve seen some really freaky events by him. To have those three in the same game is pretty spectacular.”

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Walker reacts to big rookie debut

After the game, reporters asked Walker how good it felt to get the hat trick in his very first game out of college.

“It’s going to have to be more than one pick, one sack, because obviously, we didn’t win the game,” Walker said. “A player like me that they drafted No. 1 is supposed to make plays like that, so I need to continue making plays like that.”

Last season, Walker broke out in a big way for the Bulldogs. The star pass rusher accumulated 37 total tackles and 6.0 sacks in a talented defense, helping lead Georgia to their first national championship in over 40 years.

Most importantly to the Jags, Walker has the potential to become one of the top defensive ends in the entire NFL. He showed flashes of dominance at Georgia, playing all over the defense in helping the Bulldogs accomplish their ultimate goal.

While the 6-foot-5 defensive end didn’t have the statistics other pass rushers amassed, his untapped athletic potential had franchises salivating. The Jaguars could have taken Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson but opted for the Georgia alum instead in a move that’s proved fruitful so far.