The Jacksonville Jaguars began the weekend with 12 selections, including four picks in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. They ended by making just seven selections, including one selection in the sixth round after trading three sixth-round picks by the end of the weekend.
Jacksonville began the draft with the selection of Georgia outside linebacker Travon Walker with the first-overall pick. They would close the weekend with the selection of Arkansas defensive back Montaric “Buster” Brown with pick No. 222 in the seventh round of the event.
“Overall, I feel great, all the way back to even the free agency. We addressed a lot of issues early with free agents and now we’ve picked it up here in the draft,” Jaguars HC Doug Pederson said.
“Then just speaking about the process, you’ve heard us talk a lot this weekend about the collaboration, the communication involving the staff and just really spending a lot of time with these players and the board.
“For me, it was refreshing to do that and to be a part of it that extensively. I know the coaches felt the same way. There’s accountability there with the board and with [General Manager] Trent [Baalke] and his staff and felt the process was really good, really smooth.”
Here is a recap of the Jaguars’ selections over the past three days:
Round 1, Pick No. 1: OLB Travon Walker, Georgia
Walker measured in at the NFL Combine at 6-foot-5, 272 pounds with 35.5 inch arms. Not only did Walker have the freak size the NFL covets in a pass rusher, he also displayed the athletic traits in testing in Indianapolis. Walker clocked a 4.51 40-yard dash at 272 pounds, a 35.5 vert, 123 broad and had nice 3-cone and shuttle times. Though he finished with just 9.5 career sacks, the Jaguars believe his potential as an edge rusher is high.
Round 1, Pick No. 27: LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded back into the first round to select Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd. The team moved up to pick 27 in exchange for picks 33, 106 and pick 180. The Jaguars have been re-shaping their defense this offseason and Lloyd should fit right in for the Jaguars either at inside linebacker or strong-side linebacker, depending on the alignment the Jaguars defense ends up in.
Lloyd was an extremely productive and physical player on the Utah defense in the Pac-12, including accolades as a first-team AP All-American and Pac-12 defensive player of the year. With the shake up at the linebacker position after the departure of Damien Wilson and Myles Jack, Lloyd should move right into a starting role as a rookie.
Round 3, Pick No. 65: OL Luke Fortner, Kentucky
The Jaguars have picked Kentucky center Luke Fortner in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Wildcats center started at both right guard and center, his final season in college at the center position, so he offers some versatility on the inside of the offensive line. He started 36 games at Kentucky, including 23 games at guard and 13 games at center.
Round 3, Pick No. 70: LB Chad Muma, Wyoming
Muma played in 43 career games for the Cowboys, amassing 254 total tackles (142 solo), 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, three interceptions, six passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 239 pounds, Muma was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press in 2021, and was a two-time All-Mountain West selection in 2020 and 2021. As a senior in 2021, Muma recorded 142 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three interceptions.
He showed off some explosiveness at the NFL Combine in March, recording an impressive 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-9-inch broad jump. He also showed solid agility, with a 7.06-second three-cone drill and a 4.28-second 20-yard shuttle.
Round 5, Pick No. 154: RB Snoop Conner, Ole Miss
The Jaguars traded two sixth-round picks to the Philadelphia Eagles, No. 188 and No. 198 overall, to get Conner. The team also later traded the No. 157 overall pick (fifth round) and No. 235 overall (seventh round) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2023-fourth round pick.
In 35 career games with Ole Miss, Conner rushed for 1,580 yards on 304 attempts (5.2 yards per carry) and 26 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 225 yards.
Conner, listed at 5-foot-10 and 222 pounds, will join James Robinson and Travis Etienne in Jacksonville’s running back room — both of whom are coming off of major injuries. Conner could factor into the rotation as a short-yardage back.
Round 6, Pick No. 197: CB Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist
Junior, listed at 6-foot-even and 190 pounds, recorded 46 tackles, three tackles for loss and seven pass breakups for the Ouachita Baptist Tigers in 2021. He earned first-team All-Great American Conference honors as a senior. Junior has recorded one career interception.
Ouachita Baptist did not have a season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Junior played in 10 games in 2017, 13 games in 2018, nine games in 2019 and 11 games in 2021. He amassed 128 total tackles in his career.
Round 7, Pick No. 222: DB Montaric Brown, Arkansas
Brown was the first Arkansas defensive back named First Team All-SEC since 2003 and for good reason—he had the third-lowest passer rating allowed in man-to-man coverage across the country last year. And NFL.com has him predicted to go somewhere between the fifth and sixth rounds.
He led the SEC with five interceptions, the most by a Razorback since Tramain Thomas in 2011. His 54 total tackles were second among Arkansas defensive backs.
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