The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker with the No. 1 overall pick, hoping the defensive stalwart can pair with quarterback Trevor Lawrence to steer the franchise back to relevance.
Walker, who started 15 games last season with 37 tackles and six sacks, was the best player on the formidable front seven that delivered Georgia a national championship. Walker is the second straight No. 1 pick for a franchise looking to stabilize with its second head coach in as many seasons.
Owner Shad Khan fired Urban Meyer in the middle of a controversy-filled season in which the team limped to a 3-14 record. The team turned to Doug Pederson, who led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl, to provide stability and mentorship to Lawrence. General manager Trent Baalke also spent over $267 million in free agency to support Lawrence with weapons, including resetting the wide receiver market by signing Christian Kirk to a surprisingly lucrative contract.
Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson had been the favorite to be selected first overall before Walker surged past him this week as the betting favorite.
