Los Angeles (AFP) - University of Georgia linebacker Travon Walker was selected as the No.1 overall pick in the NFL draft in Las Vegas on Thursday as the Jacksonville Jaguars look to build a championship-calibre defense under new head coach Doug Pederson.
Walker, 21, is the first defensive player to be chosen with the top pick since Myles Garrett was scooped up by the Cleveland Browns in 2017.
The Jaguars snagged quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick last year, and were again given first choice of the cream of US college talent after finishing last season with a dismal 3-14 record at the bottom of the AFC South.
Quarterbacks have dominated the No.1 picks in the draft historically, but with the Jaguars already possessing a generational talent in Lawrence, Jacksonville opted to beef up their defense with the selection of Walker.
The towering defensive end was a key figure in the Georgia Bulldogs' National College Championship victory last season, contributing a sack in each of his team’s playoff victories.
Walker, who stands 6ft 5in and weighs in at 272 pounds, impressed at the recent NFL scouting combine, clocking 4.51 seconds in the 40-yard dash and demonstrating deftness and agility that belies his size.
The second pick in the draft went to another defensive player, with the Detroit Lions scooping University of Michigan star Aidan Hutchinson.
The Houston Texans meanwhile also went with a defensive player, taking Louisiana State University cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.with the third pick.
