Travon

Walker

The Walker (6'5/275) steam has become very real as of late, as the former Bulldog feels like a virtual lock to go No. 1 overall to the Jaguars later this evening. Known for loving athletic freaks, Jaguars’ GM Trent Baalke may not be able to keep himself from selecting Walker, who put on one of the more impressive performances at the Combine. Walker’s odds have risen tremendously to the point where he is far from a betting value. But those who made their picks early could stand to benefit from their boldness.

The Walker (6'5"/275) at No. 1 train has left the station and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping. Aidan Hutchinson was considered the No. 1 overall pick for the longest time but as Vegas started to shrink Walker’s odds, it pushed the narrative from the experts. his big, explosive, and quick for his size. As we look at him and the what his Georgia defense accomplished last season, he’s a top tier talent that could change the trajectory of a defensive line.

Did you hop onto the Walker (6'5"/275) No. 1 bandwagon early, but it’s begun to gain full steam. As Vegas puts together their final odds for the No. 1 overall pick, The Georgia EDGE is now the odds favorite on PointsBet at -155. He’s a physical prowess that devastates the front line whether is bringing pressure to the quarterback or stopping the run. The Jags finished 27th last year in sacks so getting a top tier talent like Walker is the correct move.

Walker (6'5"/275) moved into the favorite position on Monday, and has solidified that position as of Wednesday morning. That’s quite a substantial jump this late in the game, which means Vegas must be hearing a lot of things about Walker going first overall. Hutchinson has dropped all the way to +325, with Ikem Ekwonu having the third best odds at +450.

Walker (6'5"/275) has now moved into the odds-on favorite for the first pick at -155. Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson has had that spot locked down for months now, so it’s quite the last minute coup with the draft in just a few days. Hutchinson is now down at +150. ESPN draft expert Todd McShay has backed that claim up as well. Walker wasn’t a betting option when odds were first posted and to come this far is quite the rise. His generational physical talents seem to be too much to ignore for NFL scouts, but we’ll see what happens in a few days.

Over the last few weeks, Walker’s (6'5/275) odds have seen quite the rise. Just 10 days ago, Walker was +300 per Draft Kings Sportsbook and he was temporarily off the board just three days later. As it stands, Walker being near even odds to go first overall is the result of the steam with Trent Baalke who has a history of taking large defensive lineman who are top-tier athletes. His odds could become even money as the draft gets closer.

Rogers and co-host Trevor Sikkema decided to have a dueling mock with fellow analysts Mike Renner and Austin Gayle, with each team doing their own individual mock draft, commenting on each other’s picks. When it came to Travon Walker, the fast-rising Edge defender experienced a precipitous drop back down the board, being selected at 16th overall by Rogers/Sikkema and ninth overall by Renner/Gayle. That’s quite a drop from the potential top-5 draft capital he was reported to carry earlier in the month. Walker could go number one overall to Jacksonville or fall out of the top-10.

The Texans have a need for just about every position and it’s important that they end up getting good football players. The selection of Walker (6'5/275) is an intriguing one. A high-upside athlete, Walker has every tool and ounce of athleticism you could want, but the production is lacking. Walker is reminiscent of former DT Richard Seymour, who GM Nick Caserio knows very well from his time in New England. The sky-high ceiling is worth the risk here for the Texans.

Walker (6'5/275) has been mocked as highly as the No. 2 overall pick by more than one analyst, including Albert Beer of Monday Morning Quarterback. Sam monsoon of Pro Football Focus is among those who have been pushing Walker: “He’s one of the best athletes to enter the NFL at the position in a long time,” Monson said. If that holds true, Walker should be an immediate-impact player and should put together an NFL career for the books.

Breer’s mock was based off conversations with team scouts and representatives, which led to him mocking Walker (6'5/275) to the Lions. Breer writes in his mock, “A lot of people are convinced they will go EDGE rusher here regardless.” He went on to add that one executive spoke with believes Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux would not be a “culture fit” in Detroit and that Dan Campbell “isn’t a fan” of Thibodeaux. Walker has shot up draft boards in recent weeks, thanks in part to a great Combine, and questions about Thibodeaux’s commitment/passion for the game.