The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year. But despite the unit's struggles, bookend pass rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen managed to catch the eye of several NFL scouts, coaches, and execs ahead of the regular season.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN released his annual top 10 pass rusher rankings. Neither Hines-Allen or Walker made the cut, but both of them earned an honorable mention, showing that their play isn't going unnoticed in the NFL.
Hines-Allen did make the cut last year, popping up at No. 8 after logging 17.5 sacks in 2023. Then again, he slid in this year's ranking likely because he was still giving his all, but his stats didn't reflect it, registering "just" 7.5 sacks.
Walker, for his part, also got an honorable mention in last year's ranking. He's logged a combined 20.5 sacks the past two seasons and is expected to make a leap in 2025. Just recently, the former Georgia Bulldog was named the team's most exciting building block.
Leaving aside the coaches, execs, and scouts who partook in Fowler's ranking, several members of the local media are also high on Walker and Hines-Allen. Just recently, the team's official website held a round table in which different Jaguars voices discussed the position group they trust the most in 2025.
John Oehser of the team's official website and Jags announcer Frank Frangie chose the wide receiver corps because of the trio of Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Dyami Brown. All things considered, it was a compelling pick. However, nearly everyone else went with the front four. Here's what Brian Martineau of Action Sports Jax had to say:
"I think I trust the edge rushers the most because of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. I trust their durability and production," Martineau wrote. "I think you can pencil those guys in for double-digit sacks. I also like what the front office did with the edge depth - finally! I think Emmanuel Ogbah, Dawuane Smoot, and Dennis Gardeck have resumes that should provide the Jags with a nice complement to Hines-Allen and Walker."
That more or less sums up describes the general sentiment surrounding the Jacksonville pass rush.
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The trust in the Jaguars' duo of Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen isn't misguided
Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen have shown that they are capable of coming through, and both of them are expected to wreak havoc in 2025. During the offseason, they confided that former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen asked them to bulk up last year, which hampered their conditioning and overall performance. They're now at their natural weight, and that should help them be more productive.
Similarly, Arik Armstead will switch back to defensive tackle after mostly lining up on the edge last year. With the veteran lineman playing next to the promising Maason Smith inside, Hines-Allen and Walker should find more favorable matchups to get after the quarterback.
Last but not least, the Jags dismissed Ryan Nielsen and hired Anthony Campanile to take his place. Having a new voice in place will reinvigorate Hines-Allen, Walker, and the rest of the defense.
Add it all up, and it's easy to see why analysts are confident in both of them.
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