Defensive players again rising to top of NFL’s draft class
March 1, 2023 GMTINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Will Anderson Jr. believes he's the best defensive player in this year’s NFL draft.
Heck, he might even be this year's top overall pick.
And the former Alabama star insists he's willing to do whatever he must to earn both accolades — even working out at this week's NFL annual scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Ohio State, Georgia reloaded after losing stars to NFL draft
December 29, 2022 GMTATLANTA (AP) — Only months after Georgia defensive linemen and Ohio State wide receivers combined to fill five first-round slots in the NFL draft, those positions again boast top talent for the teams preparing to meet in the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal.
Jets’ Quinnen Williams active, Jags’ Travon Walker sidelined
December 23, 2022 GMTEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night after a calf injury sidelined him last Sunday.
Williams, selected to his first career Pro Bowl team Wednesday, leads the Jets with a career-high 11 sacks.
Jags rule out Walker, Fatukasi for game against Jets
December 21, 2022 GMTJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled out two defensive starters — linebacker Travon Walker and nose tackle Foley Fatukasi — for Thursday night's game at the New York Jets.
Walker (ankle) and Fatukasi (ankle) won't make the trip to New Jersey for the primetime game that has AFC playoff implications for the Jaguars (6-8) and the Jets (7-7).
Jags getting top-level play from 1st-round duo Walker, Lloyd
September 28, 2022 GMTJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars have their own Defensive Rookie of the Year race ongoing.
It’d be tough to pick a front-runner through three games.
No. 1 overall draft pick Travon Walker, an outside linebacker from national champion Georgia, has been disruptive while playing nearly 85% percent of the team’s defensive snaps.
Top pick Travon Walker signs $37.4M rookie deal with Jaguars
May 13, 2022 GMTJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — No. 1 overall draft pick Travon Walker signed a four-year, $37.4 million rookie contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, a deal that includes a $24.4 million signing bonus.
Defense 1st, then offense, with receivers a focal point
April 29, 2022 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — In an NFL draft focused early on stoppers, it was the goers — wide receivers — who stole the spotlight Thursday night.
Not simply prospects, either.
Yes, the first five selections came on the defensive side of the ball, including edge rushers Travon Walker of national champion Georgia to Jacksonville and Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan to Detroit at Nos.
Jags take ‘athletic freak’ Walker with top pick in NFL draft
April 29, 2022 GMTJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Travon Walker “had a good feeling” he might be the top pick in the NFL draft when he visited Jacksonville earlier this month.
He was way ahead of just about everyone else — maybe even the Jaguars.
Amid NFL draft uncertainty, prospects display confidence
April 27, 2022 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Very little is certain heading into an NFL draft. Not that the prospects on hand seem to care.
There's a level of confidence that, for them, Thursday night's first round is a sure thing.
Georgia enjoys school-record turnout from NFL for Pro Day
March 16, 2022 GMTATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia's impressive class of NFL draft candidates commanded an unusually large audience at the school's Pro Day on Wednesday.
After Georgia sent 14 players to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis earlier this month, the most of any school, the talent was again on display on campus.
Georgia facing tough task of replacing NFL-bound D-linemen
March 15, 2022 GMTATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The trio of Georgia defensive linemen projected as first-round selections in next month's NFL draft have highlighted the talent that enabled the Bulldogs to win the national championship.
Georgia defenders no longer strangers as they strut into NFL
March 4, 2022 GMTINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former University of Georgia D-lineman Jordan Davis said that despite all the star power boasted by the Bulldogs last season, “we wanted to call ourselves a no-name defense."
In that regard then, the national champs failed miserably.
Number of early NFL draft entrants hits nine-year low at 73
January 21, 2022 GMTThe NFL announced Friday that 73 underclassmen have been granted special eligibility for the draft, the fewest in the last nine years.
All-American linebacker Nakobe Dean was one of four players from national champion Georgia on the list, along with receiver George Pickens, safety Lewis Cine and defensive lineman Travon Walker.
AP Top 25 Takeaways: ’Bama’s Young worthy successor at QB U
September 5, 2021 GMTGeorgia is trying to bring defense back.
In the centerpiece game of the opening weekend of college football, the fifth-ranked Bulldogs put on a relentless, ferocious, smothering display of defense against No 3 Clemson on Saturday night in Charlotte.