Travon Walker listed as breakout candidate by CBS Sports
The jury remains out on edge rusher Travon Walker after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia.
Entering the league with tons of upside, Walker struggled to stand out early before coming on in the postseason. In 15 games (14 starts), Walker compiled just 3.5 sacks, to go along with 49 tackles (24 solo), one interception and one forced fumble. In the AFC Wild Card round against the Los Angeles Chargers and the AFC Divisional round against the Kansas City Chiefs, Walker recorded half a sack and logged three quarterback hits.
Heading into his sophomore season, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports believes the 22-year-old could be in store for a breakout campaign.
“The polarizing No. 1 pick of the 2022 draft, Walker was always going to have an unpolished debut, the way he exited Georgia as more of a project than proven prospect,” Benjamin wrote. “But he flashed late as Jacksonville made its playoff push, logging three QB hits, a tackle for loss and a pass deflection in two postseason matchups. This summer, Jaguars coaches suggested he finally ‘learned how to pass rush,’ which doesn’t bode well for AFC South rivals. On a young, ascending team, Walker’s got a chance to be a real disruptor.”
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Travon Walker taking steps forward in 2023
Progress is something the Jaguars saw out of Walker during training camp, which they hope carries over into the regular season. At the very least, some resemblance of the player which dominated SEC defenses will play as well.
Speaking with the media last month, defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell revealed the areas where Walker’s game has taken a step forward in 2023.
“You love to see the continual improvement in the run game, which was strong last year. We just need him to step that up,” Caldwell said, via the team’s website. “Then in the pass game, you see the rushes. At times, he’s winning on the edge. He’s powering and he’s countering now. His toolbox is expanding and you see the progress going on.”