The Jaguars saw quarterback Trevor Lawrence take a major leap forward in his second NFL season and they’re hoping that their top draft pick of last season follows a similar path.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said this week that “we have to improve our pass rush” and 2022 first overall pick Travon Walker is a big part of the plan to take strides in that area. Walker had 3.5 sacks and and 10 quarterback hits in 15 regular season appearances last year and Pederson said the Jags want to see “that next step” from him in 2023.
Pederson also shared why he believes Walker can be “a really dominant impact player” in Jacksonville.
“One of the things I appreciated with Travon is how he improved,” Pederson said, via the team’s website. “Some of these young guys don’t know how to study the game as well. Being able to show him how to study, what to look for, who to study – great edge rushers in our game, to try to take some takeaways from that — and again, there’s so much room for improvement with him.”
After two years with the first pick, the Jaguars will be picking lower in the order in 2023. If Walker has a Lawrence-type breakout year, they should have a good chance to remain at the back end of the draft order in 2024.
