The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching with the first round set to begin on Thursday. The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the ever-important task of selecting the first overall pick in the draft, which can either make or break a team’s future for years to come.
Typically at this point, with only a few days left before the draft, the team holding the first pick knows who they are going to take with that selection. That is reportedly not the case for the Jaguars, who reportedly have a divide in their front office on who they are going to select.
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke wants to select Georgia defensive end Travon Walker while owner Shad Khan prefers Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson.
It was reported earlier this NFL offseason that Baalke typically prefers the more raw and athletic prospects with seemingly more upside, which lines up with what Walker presents. Hutchinson on the other hand has been most draft expert’s top prospect and appears to be more NFL-ready at this point in time.
Khan spoke on the matter on Monday and said that the front office will have a meeting on Wednesday to “firm up their draft board.”
It will certainly be interesting to see what direction the team ends up going in, as it could reveal who exactly has the power in the organization when it comes to important personnel decisions.
One would think that if Khan can’t trust Baalke to pick the right player with the first overall pick, he probably shouldn’t be the team’s general manager. But the Jaguars organization hasn’t exactly been the model of excellence over the years regardless of who is making decisions.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.