NY Jets could shock fans with controversial linebacker pick at No. 7

The New York Jets have plenty of options with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With several roster holes to fill and a number of intriguing prospects on the board, it’s hard to imagine a realistic selection that would spark widespread outrage among the fanbase.

There are a few potential exceptions, however, one being Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. ESPN's Rich Cimini recently referred to Walker as a "guy to watch" for the Jets in an episode of the Flight Deck podcast.

Cimini insisted that Walker has the intangibles that Glenn is looking for and that fans shouldn't be "shocked' if he's the pick for the Jets at No. 7 overall. While fans may not be shocked, many likely wouldn't be pleased.

Walker is one of the more intriguing prospects in this year’s draft class. At 6-foot-1, 243 pounds, he split his time at Georgia between off-ball linebacker and edge rusher, making him a unique and somewhat unorthodox fit for an NFL defense. Therein lies the problem.

NY Jets could be eyeing Georgia LB Jalon Walker in the 2025 NFL Draft

A former five-star recruit, Walker played three years at Georgia, putting together his best season in 2024. The South Carolina native earned first-team All-American honors and was the recipient of this year's Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker.

Walker recorded 11.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, with just under half of his snaps coming off the edge. He fits a similar archetype to players like Zack Baun, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Drew Sanders — all hybrid linebacker/edge prospects who’ve found varying degrees of success at the NFL level.

The issue is that it's difficult to justify drafting a player like that with a top-seven pick, especially given that his fit in the Jets' defense is a little odd. The Jets just paid Jamien Sherwood and still have Quincy Williams under contract. They already have one undersized edge rusher in Will McDonald.

Perhaps the Jets' plan in this scenario would be to trade Williams on draft day, given the uncertainty surrounding his future with the organization. But it probably wouldn't be ideal to pair Sherwood with another undersized linebacker.

Walker is also not seen as a universal top-10 prospect in this class, with many projecting him to be a mid-to-late first-round pick. New head coach Aaron Glenn has a history of going against the grain, however.

Glenn's Detroit Lions were widely panned for their selections of running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Both Gibbs and Campbell have turned into cornerstones of the organization.

Perhaps Glenn sees similar traits in Walker — versatility, leadership, and a rare athletic profile that doesn’t fit neatly into a box but can make a major impact in the right system.

If history is any indicator, Glenn isn’t afraid to trust his evaluations, even if they go against the consensus. And with the Jets in need of tone-setters on defense, Walker might just be his next bold bet.

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