This is a pivotal season for Travon Walker, the 2022 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick.
He’s happy he’ll be facing it with his hand in the dirt attacking the ball.
With the entrance of Ryan Nielsen as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator, Walker has been buoyed by the prospects of playing a more natural -- and productive -- style of ball.
“Man, the defense that we’re in now, I feel like it fits me great,” Walker told reporters Friday. “We’re playing straight forward, and I feel like with me playing with my hand in the dirt, I feel a lot more explosive. And I feel like I can just play ball now.”
Walker turned in a relatively disappointing rookie season in 2022, but a late sack barrage in 2023 equated to a breakout second season. It was one in which he tallied 10 sacks, 19 QB hits and 10 tackles for loss -- all second on the Jags behind Joshua Hines-Allen. Now, Walker finds himself looking to take the next big step in becoming a defensive end worthy of his lofty draft status and a potential extension when he’s eligible next offseason.
Nielsen replacing Mike Caldwell -- Walker’s DC for his first two campaigns -- has so far been a welcomed change for Walker.
“It’s been great working with Ryan,” Walker said. “He’s one of those guys that he always gives the why on why we’re doing something, so that makes it a little easier on us.”
Walker should also be fresher, with head coach Doug Pederson noting on Friday that the defensive line approach would be akin to what his Philadelphia Eagles did under DC Jim Schwartz.
“You’re gonna see eight guys in that defensive line,” Pederson said. “You’re gonna see more rotation.”
However, Pederson underscored that when his best pass rushers need to be on the field, they will be -- and that includes Walker.
Both sides of the ball floundered for the Jaguars as the 2023 season collapsed. They lost five of their last six, the AFC South lead and a playoff berth over the last half-dozen weeks of the season. A change needed to be made and Caldwell’s dismissal was the largest one.
Somewhat shockingly, Walker’s statistical surge last season came over the final four games with Jacksonville spiraling and going 1-3 in that span. From Weeks 15-18, Walker racked up five sacks, 17 tackles, five tackles for loss and six QB hits. His sacks just in those four weeks were more than his whole rookie campaign, in which he had 3.5 sacks, along with 10 QB hits and five tackles for loss.
“Big jump from year to year, obviously just to keep progressing,” Walker said. “At this point in my career, just be consistent. Obviously, I want to do what helps my team win games, obviously being consistent is the No. 1 thing.”
That’s debatable, as more improvement under a new scheme would be paramount, especially for a former top pick.
It’s a huge season in general for the Jags, who rallied to make the playoffs in Walker’s first season, but followed up by going backward.
Going backward isn’t something Walker’s a large fan of, hence why he’s excited that Nielsen’s defense doesn’t call for him to drop back into coverage as he did previously.
When asked if he’d miss dropping back, Walker replied, “Uhh, I mean, no. No. Not at all."
The Jaguars need improvement from their former top pick. Walker hit double-digit sacks in part because he was playing opposite Hines-Allen, who set a franchise record with 17.5 sacks. Walker earned a 53.9 overall grade from PFF, so the growth is there to be made beyond the stats.
In Nielsen’s scheme, the hope is Walker’s overall play and numbers are each on the rise in 2024.