Could the New York Jets draft a linebacker with the No. 7 overall pick? According to one reporter, it is a real possibility.
Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker “is a guy to watch” for the Jets with the seventh overall pick.
“Jalon Walker, the linebacker from Georgia, is a guy to watch for the Jets in the top 10,” said Cimini. “He is an off-ball linebacker, but he can rush; he can put his hand in the dirt and rush on third down.”
“Walker is an excellent football player,” Cimini continued. “He’s high character and good leadership. It’s kind of the intangibles that Aaron Glenn is looking for, so don’t be shocked.”
Walker, 21, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. He attended Salisbury High School in North Carolina before committing to Georgia, where he spent all three of his college seasons.
Appearing in 43 games for the Bulldogs, Walker compiled 89 total tackles (including 19 for loss) along with 12.5 sacks.
Walker made his presence felt during the 2024 season, where the junior logged 60 total tackles, including 11 for loss, along with 6.5 sacks. He earned first-team All-American Honors and the Butkus Award, given to the best linebacker in the nation.
Walker is an athletic, physically gifted defender who offers versatility as both an edge rusher and off-ball linebacker. In 2024, he played 60% of his snaps off the ball and 40% on the edge. At 6-foot-1 and 243 pounds, Walker ranks No. 11 overall on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board.
If Steve Wilks and Aaron Glenn want to add more versatility on defense, they should seriously consider selecting Walker with the No. 7 pick.
