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NFL Draft 2022: 5 worst picks of the first round

By Mike Phillips

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 28: (L-R) Jameson Williams poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected 12th by the Detroit Lions during round one of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 28: (L-R) Jameson Williams poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected 12th by the Detroit Lions during round one of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 05: Travon Walker #DL48 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 05, 2022, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 05: Travon Walker #DL48 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 05, 2022, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Georgia. Travon Walker. player. 52. DE. 1

The first surprise of the day came at the top of the draft, where the Jacksonville Jaguars bypassed Aidan Hutchinson to select Travon Walker with the top pick. Experts had prognosticated that Hutchinson was the safe choice since he had a dependable floor, but Walker’s ceiling clearly enticed Jacksonville here.

The scary part of this pick is the utter lack of production that Walker had in college. Walker was certainly a valuable player for the Bulldogs, who won the national championship this season and had five members of their defense go in the first round, but he only delivered 9.5 sacks over the course of his college career.

The Jaguars were in a tough spot since there wasn’t a true game-breaking talent atop the draft, such as Myles Garrett or Nick Bosa, or a quarterback to entice another team to give up a king’s ransom to select him. Taking Hutchinson may not have been the sexiest pick of all time but it would be reasonable to add a sure thing to a defense that needs a pass rusher opposite Josh Allen.

Simply buying into the workouts and your ability to coach up a talented player like Walker makes more sense a bit later in the draft. Taking a flier with the first overall pick doesn’t make a ton of sense, which is par for the course with Jacksonville these days.

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