Travon Walker

Kayvon Thibodeaux has the most upside of any player in the 2022 NFL draft class. The New York Giants plan to harness the No. 5 overall pick's natural ability and turn him into the league's best defensive rookie.

"He was just such a great fit for us in [Don "Wink" Martindale's] defense," outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins told reporters. "He has all the skill sets we look for. He can be a dominant edge-setter, explosive, violent, relentless pass-rusher and then everything else you can see that is required."

The fact Thibodeaux was available when the Giants first selected is amazing unto itself.

Thibodeaux won the Morris Trophy in 2020, which goes to the Pac-12's best offensive or defensive lineman. He entered last season as the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, but his draft stock took a few hits along the way.

Thibodeaux suffered a high-ankle sprain in Oregon's first contest and played through it for most of his final season on campus. As a result, he finished with only seven sacks, but that only told part of the story.

Though the injury robbed him of some explosiveness, Thibodeaux still led the Pac-12 with a 91.8 pass-rush grade and 22.8 percent pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

Throughout the NFL draft process, matters worsened as anonymous quotes surfaced from multiple outlets.

"Does he like playing in the NFL, or like the NFL lifestyle and what that entails?" a scout questioned in a conversation with Go Long's Bob McGinn. "If you put [Aidan] Hutchinson’s heart in Thibodeaux’s body then you’d have Myles Garrett."

Meanwhile, NFL Draft Network's Tony Pauline reported:

"In addition to concerns about his effort, there are also questions from some inside the scouting community and in league circles about Thibodeaux’s desire to be great. As one source close to Thibodeaux told me, he’s 'acting like he’s already made it rather than someone who really wants it.' Another source close to Thibodeaux said, 'He has the ability to be great, yet he may never do what it takes to reach his ultimate level of ability.'"

Ultimately, four defenders heard their names called before Thibodeaux.

The Jacksonville Jaguars chose Travon Walker with the first overall pick. The Detroit Lions followed suit by taking Hutchinson at No. 2. The Houston Texans continued the early run by drafting cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 3, and the New York Jets took fellow defensive back Ahmad Gardner at No. 4.

However, where they were drafted doesn't make any of them a better bet to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year over Thibodeaux, whose natural ability and landing spot make him the ideal candidate.

As of late June, Hutchinson is the only heavier betting favorite to win the award, according to DraftKings. Walker, Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker, Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, New York Jets edge Jermaine Johnson II and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd follow, albeit they're comfortably behind the top two.

Hutchinson is essentially being positioned as the face of the Lions organization, which is why he's the odds-on favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He is a potential culture-changer if his time with the Michigan Wolverines is any indication of future success.

At the same time, Detroit is young along its defensive front and lacks pass-rushing punch. Hutchinson should help that group as it grows in Year 2 under defensive play-caller Aaron Glenn.

Walker has the advantage of being the No. 1 overall pick and an elite athletic profile, but he's far from a polished prospect. He needs to learn how to be a consistent edge-rusher.

Both Stingley and Gardner will be tasked with covering opposing top wide receivers, so they will likely experience their share of ups and downs. Walker and Lloyd must show they can be every-down defenders. Hamilton is capable of contributing at multiple levels in various roles, though he currently resides among a loaded safety group alongside Marcus Williams and Chuck Clark. Johnson can be an instant-impact run defender as he continues to develop as a pass-rusher.

What separates Thibodeaux from the rest of this year's top defensive prospects? It starts with his ability to get to opposing quarterbacks.

"Thibodeaux checks every box for a high-end pass-rusher with potential through the roof," Bleacher Report scout Derrik Klassen wrote in his evaluation. "Primarily a speed-rusher, Thibodeaux shows threatening burst off the snap and accelerates as well as anyone through his next few steps, regularly giving him the outside edge against offensive tackles.

"While Thibodeaux's hand usage and pass-rushing plan could use some development, he already has the speed, strength and bend to regularly win around the outside in rare fashion. Few players can bend and explode the way he can."

Translatable traits are what scouts and evaluators want to see. Thibodeaux doesn't have the same kind of heft as Myles Garrett working off the edge, but he's also an elite athlete. It isn't just straight-line quickness, either. Thibodeaux displays excellent lateral quickness and agility.

“He’s the guy," Giants guard Shane Lemieux, who played with Thibodeaux at Oregon, told reporters. "He’s a real dude.”

Real dudes can still be rendered ineffective if they aren't properly utilized. Fortunately, Thibodeaux now plays for one of the NFL's best and most aggressive defensive play-callers. Prior to last year's injury-plagued campaign, the Ravens finished in the top seven in total defense during their three campaigns under Martindale.

"Puts a lot of people at the line of scrimmage," an opposing scout told ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "He doesn't coach scared."

The approach essentially boils down to a numbers game. The defense disguises its looks so it can get favorable matchups. Still, the players must take advantage of those matchups once they become available.

The Giants are already extremely strong along their defensive interior with Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence leading the way. They needed more of an edge presence and landed one with Thibodeaux.

Unliked others in the class, Martindale doesn't need his rookie to be the focal point.

"Just to be Kayvon," the defensive coordinator responded when asked what he expects of Thibodeaux this fall.

With ultra-aggressive defensive game plans, a strong defensive front and Thibodeaux's propensity to create havoc in opposing backfields, the Giants have the right combination to develop this year's No. 5 overall pick into a superstar.

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Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and 2022 No. 1 overall draft pick Travon Walker reportedly came to terms on a rookie contract Thursday.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Walker is set to sign a four-year, $37.4 million deal with a $24.4 million signing bonus.

Jacksonville made the Georgia defensive end the top pick in the 2022 NFL draft just one year after selecting Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence first overall.

Walker was one of two first-round picks made by the Jaguars this year, the other being Utah inside linebacker Devin Lloyd, who was selected at No. 20.

Many pundits viewed Aidan Hutchinson as the best available player in this year's draft, but Walker told reporters he didn't put up similar sack numbers to the Michigan product because he was tasked with playing multiple positions:

To all the people that say that I can't pass rush or do whatever [or that] I wasn't as productive at Georgia, I never really just played one position consistently. So I feel like I'll be able to grow as a player as I just focus on one main position. ... It's very exciting because I've always moved around ever since I was in high school and played middle linebacker in high school.

I've never just played one position, so when people say I don't have a lot of production, but once I do just get to train for one position, then that will come on its own.

During the 2021 season, Walker recorded six sacks, one fumble recovery, 33 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss in 13 games for the national champion Bulldogs, which had the best defense in the nation last season. 

Walker is expected to top a Jacksonville outside linebacker unit that includes K'Lavon Chaisson and Jordan Smith. Head coach Doug Pederson has said he might play other positions as well once he is comfortable with the team.

Surging to the top of 2022 NFL draft boards provided quite the boost to Travon Walker's bank account.

ESPN's Field Yates shared the terms of the No. 1 overall pick's rookie deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars:

The value for Jaguars DE Travon Walker’s contract has now been officially set: he’ll sign a 4-year, $37,372,621 fully-guaranteed deal that includes a $24,360,088 signing bonus and a 5th-year team option.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 3, 2022

The broad contract details for every draftee are laid out in the collective bargaining agreement's rookie wage scale.

By the time the draft rolled around last Thursday, Walker had emerged by the favorite to land with Jacksonville. It capped off quite the rise for the Georgia edge-rusher.

Coming out of the Super Bowl, Walker wasn't even a first-round pick in Bleacher Report's mock draft. He had moved up to 14th in March upon the conclusion of the NFL Scouting Combine and then No. 3 as April was getting underway.

There wasn't a wide financial gulf if Walker had merely been a top-five pick instead of first overall. Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was taken fifth overall by the New York Giants, will earn a nearly $20 million signing bonus and $31.3 million guaranteed.

Winding up in the latter stages of the first round would've made a significant difference. Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd was the No. 27 overall pick and will join Walker in Jacksonville. His rookie deal guarantees him $12.9 million with a $6.6 million signing bonus.

It's unclear whether Walker has officially signed his first contract with the Jaguars.

Because of the rookie wage scale, the negotiations are often straightforward. On occasion, offset language can be a sticking point between the team and a player's representatives. Offset language allows a team to potentially recoup some money after it releases a player before his rookie deal expired.

That wasn't included in Trevor Lawrence's rookie deal with Jacksonville in 2021, so it presumably won't present a hurdle with Walker, either.

Wide receiver George Pickens, who went No. 52 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL draft on Friday, was involved in a car crash one week ago.

Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network provided the report:

Pickens was a passenger in a car crash a week ago, per me & @TomPelissero, cited for not wearing a seatbelt — with his head hitting the windshield. He left scraped but OK. Both vehicles wrecked. https://t.co/jIVQoguFqh

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 30, 2022

The news on Pickens comes after Rapoport and Pelissero reported that fellow Georgia star Travon Walker, the edge-rusher who went No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL draft, was also involved in a car crash earlier this year.

A big-time scare before the Draft: #Georgia’s Travon Walker was in a serious car accident in Athens, GA before the draft, crashing into two parked cars, per me and @TomPelissero. He emerged without injuries somehow. No citations. But a scare for sure.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2022

Five players from Georgia, which won the national title over Alabama, were selected in the first round. Pickens was the first Bulldog selected in Round 2.

Pickens now heads to Pittsburgh, where he'll presumably team up with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool to form an elite wideout unit with the Steelers.

It's a new era in Pittsburgh with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retiring after 18 seasons.

Pittsburgh signed Mitch Trubisky to a two-year deal in the offseason, and the Steelers also added Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.

Clearly, the emphasis thus far has been on rebuilding the offense, which finished 21st in scoring last year.

Adding Pickens certainly helps. The big-play threat caught 36 passes for 513 yards and six touchdowns in 2020 and looked prime for a huge year in 2021.

However, he suffered a torn right ACL during a non-contact drill amid a spring practice in March 2021. Somehow, Pickens was able to return in November and contribute on a limited basis (five catches, 107 yards, five games).

Now Pickens will head to Pittsburgh, which is looking for its third straight playoff appearance.

Defensive end Travon Walker, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 NFL draft, reportedly was involved in a serious car crash sometime before the draft.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Walker crashed into two parked cars in Athens, Georgia, but "emerged without injuries" and no citations.

Walker did not attend the draft in Las Vegas and instead watched from his home in Athens with a large contingent of his family while he was announced as the top pick.

A 6'5", 275-pound edge-rusher for the national champion Georgia Bulldogs, Walker was a massive riser throughout the predraft process. He was initially projected as a player who would be selected in the middle of the first round, but he impressed teams with his eye-popping measurables and strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Walker ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash and has a 7'0¼" wingspan and 35.5" vertical leap. He recorded 33 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and six sacks during the 2021 season. Despite his low statistical numbers, many believe that his skills will translate well at the next level.

Georgia used Walker more as a run-stopper, and he excelled in that role. But the 21-year-old has the speed and athleticism to get to the quarterback when deployed as a pass-rusher.

After experiencing a scary car crash, Walker surely appreciated the moment of being the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday even more.

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 272

HAND: 10 3/4"

ARM: 35 1/2"

WINGSPAN: 7'0 1/4"

40-YARD DASH: 4.51

3-CONE: 6.89

SHUTTLE: 4.32

VERTICAL: 35.5"

BROAD: 10'3"

POSITIVES

— Great length. Tall frame with long arms.

— Flashes a very good first step.

— Violent hands. Packs a major punch.

— Great upper-body strength. Can control blocks with ease.

— Very good lower-body strength. Anchors consistently.

— Very good speed and fluidity in space, especially for his size.

— Above-average bend and flexibility around the edge for his size.

— Great discipline and technique versus the run.

— Positional flexibility. Lined up anywhere from 3-tech to a stand-up 6-tech.

NEGATIVES

— Could stand to sequence his hand-fighting better as a pass-rusher.

— Tends to wait too long to shed blocks in the run game, especially when working laterally.

— Does not cover as much ground when coming off blocks as expected.

— Leg drive and power as a pass-rusher comes and goes.

— Acceleration to the corner is lacking. Does not build momentum through second and third steps as a pass-rusher.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 33 TOT, 7.5 TFL, 6 SK, 1 FR

NOTES

— 5-star recruit in 2019.

— 2019 freshman All-SEC team.

— Dropped weight since getting to Georgia. Was listed at 290 his freshman year.

OVERALL

Travon Walker provides some of the best versatility in the class.

At 6'5" and 275 pounds, Walker played with his hand in the dirt as a 3-technique, 5-technique and 6-technique, as well as from a stand-up outside linebacker position. He'll likely play 5- and 6-technique in the NFL, but his flexibility at other alignments could make for some devastating situational packages.

Walker thrives in run defense. His initial punch is as violent as it gets and he rarely misses. He tends to do a great job controlling blocks following his initial punch, allowing him to keep eyes in the backfield and leverage his gap correctly.

Walker also has impressive lower-body power, which is showcased both by his first step and his anchor once engaged with blockers. Though he can be a hair slow in deciding to come off blocks at times, he generally executes his gap assignment without issue and can force the play to other defenders.

On passing downs, Walker lacks consistency, but the tools are there. He flies off the ball at times (usually better when standing up) and displays better flexibility than expected for a player his size, which is a devastating combo when paired with his length and overwhelming punch.

Walker needs to hone his sequencing as a pass-rusher, as well as be more consistent in how he drives his legs through contact, but he can still be disruptive as he is right now. Though rare, Walker also dropped into coverage at Georgia on occasion and did not look out of place.

Walker's easiest projection is as a strong-side defensive end in an even front, but he could just as easily add a few pounds to be a 3-4 defensive end or drop a few to be a full-blown edge player. His run-defense skills and athletic profile will allow him to be a functional player early on as he works on becoming a more consistent pass-rusher.

GRADE: 8.2 (Year 1 Starter - Late 1st-2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 22

POSITION RANK: DL2

PRO COMPARISON: Trey Flowers

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen