Travon Walker

The Jacksonville Jaguars may be waffling on Aidan Hutchinson as their top player in the 2022 NFL draft class, but Mel Kiper Jr. is all-in.

The ESPN draft expert released his final player rankings Wednesday, one day ahead of the start of the event, with the Michigan defensive end remaining his top player in the class. North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu is Kiper's No. 2 prospect.

Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker, who has emerged as a top candidate to be taken with the No. 1 selection, is all the way down at No. 9.

Hutchinson has been the consensus No. 1 player in this class among draft experts for several months. He's coming off a 2021 campaign that saw him become the rare Heisman Trophy finalist as a defender, racking up 62 total tackles and 14 sacks while winning several individual defensive awards.

While his physical skills don't give him the same ceiling as that of Walker, Hutchinson says his understanding of the game is what makes him a cut above. 

"I think that’s what separates me," Hutchinson told Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated. "I can see what's coming before the play goes; I can just feel it. That makes you look so much better as a player. You look faster; you look quicker."

Ekwonu has emerged as the top offensive tackle in a class that includes SEC products Evan Neal (Alabama) and Charles Cross (Mississippi State). A versatile lineman who spent time at guard and at right tackle at NC State, Ekwonu projects as a potential Pro Bowler on the left side thanks to his combination of size (6'4", 310 lbs), fleet-footedness off the line and physicality. 

Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton and Neal round out Kiper's top five. 

It's looking increasingly like the Jacksonville Jaguars will select Travon Walker with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

That doesn't mean he's the top player according to draft evaluators.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah released his final rankings Tuesday, with Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson remaining in the top spot. Hutchinson is followed by Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

Walker does not show up until No. 6 on Jeremiah's board. 

Hutchinson has been the consensus top player on most evaluator boards for several months, with the Jaguars seemingly being one of the few outliers. The Heisman finalist swept essentially every individual defensive honor in college football last season, racking up 62 tackles and 14 sacks to help lead Michigan to a Big Ten championship.

While Hutchinson's measurables aren't quite on par with Walker, he says his instincts are what elevate him from the pack. 

"I think that’s what separates me," Hutchinson told Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated. "I can see what's coming before the play goes; I can just feel it. That makes you look so much better as a player. You look faster; you look quicker."

Walker, by contrast, is a projection pick. He has wowed throughout the draft process with his physical prowess, highlighted by running a 4.51-second time in the 40-yard dash at 272 pounds at the combine. His combination of size and explosiveness allows him the versatility to play on the edge or move inside when needed. 

That said, his collegiate production pales in comparison to Hutchinson. In 32 career games at Georgia, Walker had fewer sacks (13) than Hutchinson did in 2021 alone (14). 

Gardner has emerged as the top lockdown corner in this class after spending his career at Cincinnati making the lives of opposing quarterbacks miserable. He has led all of college football each of the past two seasons in quarterback rating when targeted, including a jaw-dropping 26.1 in 2021. 

Travon Walker's draft stock has soared in recent weeks, and the Georgia defensive standout has emerged as the consensus favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

ESPN's Todd McShay reported Monday that Walker appears to be the preferred target over Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson for the Jacksonville Jaguars:

The belief around the league is Jacksonville prefers the upside and traits of Walker over the proven production, motor and leadership that Hutchinson brings to the table. And it is nearly a lock that one of them will come off the board first. ...

But Walker's versatility, length, speed, explosion and strength could be the difference for the Jaguars. Execs around the NFL tell me Jacksonville just loves his upside, even though Walker (six sacks and 29 pressures) didn't fill the stat sheet like Hutchinson did in 2021.

The Draft Network's Jamie Eisner noted Walker is the betting favorite to go No. 1 as well:

Walker's rise is emblematic of how the 2022 draft class lacks a star who has put himself head and shoulders above the pack.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was basically a lock for the No. 1 spot in the 2021 NFL draft before the 2020 season even started. Likewise, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow cemented his top-dog status in the 2020 NFL draft with his historic 2019 season. Edge-rushers Nick Bosa and Chase Young, the No. 2 picks in 2019 and 2020, respectively, distanced themselves as the best non-quarterbacks available.

Picking toward the latter stages of the first round might be more advantageous this year.

Every team bets on upside to some degree in the draft. No player is a finished product coming out of college.

Walker's potential is his clear selling point following a somewhat nondescript tenure at Georgia. He had 33 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2021, and much of the spotlight fell on teammates Nakobe Dean and Jordan Davis.

Hutchinson has the far better individual resume. He collected 16.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks en route to winning the Lombardi Award and finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting.

The MMQB's Albert Breer spoke with an executive from an NFC team who said Hutchinson should be "a consistent player, a 10-sack-a-year guy." However, he added that "you’d imagine getting someone better" with the No. 1 pick. The executive then described Walker as "a freak" who "looks like Myles Garrett."

Whatever happens, it will likely be a defining moment for Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke.

Baalke survived the disastrous Urban Meyer experiment, but that likely left him on shaky ground. If whomever the Jaguars select doesn't pan out, it could be the final nail in his coffin.

Should Jacksonville hit a home run, though, Baalke will earn a lot of equity within the organization.