Jaguars HC Doug Pederson: Travon Walker picks off where he left off

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting offense stood out early against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 but the defense also shined, with outside linebacker Travon Walker having a promising outing for the second week in a row.

Walker didn’t log a sack against the Browns but he forced running back D’Ernest Johnson to fumble. Safety Rayshawn Jenkins was credited with the play but Walker also had a big role in it. What makes this more impressive is that he was on the opposite side of the field but the former Georgia Bulldog still managed to get to Johnson even though he was at first blocked by left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. Here’s a link of a good angle, via Laurie Fitzpatrick of Touchdown Wire.

After the game, head coach Doug Pederson told the local media that Walker overall did some really good things” and “picked up where he left off last week. He then added that “it was good to see him and Josh Allen out there at the same time”. The Jaguars ended up losing 24-13 but the starting defense played well early, limiting Cleveland’s offense to just seven yards.

Jaguars OLB Travon Walker’s getting acclimated to the NFL

One of the biggest questions surrounding Travon Walker coming out of college was whether he was going to be an effective edge defender in the NFL. After all, he had played different roles at Georgia and wasn’t often asked to rush the quarterback from a standup position at Georgia.

In the end, the Jaguars chose Walker’s upside over his readiness and the early results are favorable. He showcased his talent in training camp and registered a sack against the Las Vegas Raiders in the Hall-of-Fame game. Although he will surely have a few bumps and bruises in his transition to full-time outside linebacker, he’s quickly getting used to lining up in a two-point stance.

It’s too early to name Walker a legitimate candidate for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award but he’s off to a good start. Sure, it’s just the preseason and he’s got plenty of work left but he’s proving the Jaguars right… so far.