Defence takes early spotlight

The outset of the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas had a definite defensive flavor.

The first five players selected Thursday night play on the defensive side of the ball, beginning with the Jacksonville Jaguars using the No. 1 overall pick on Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker.

There wasn't an offensive skill player chosen until the Atlanta Falcons selected Southern California wide receiver Drake London with the eighth overall pick.

The biggest Las Vegasstyle theatrics occurred in the middle of the first round when the Philadelphia Eagles acquired receiver A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans for the 18th overall pick and a third-round choice.

Brown was disgruntled with his contract situation and Philadelphia resolved that by reportedly agreeing to a fouryear, $100 million, including $57 million guaranteed, with the 2020 Pro Bowler. The Titans used the pick on a replacement, Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks, who caught 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games last season.

The only quarterback selected in the first round was Pitt's Kenny Pickett, who was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning he will play his NFL home games in the same stadium where he starred as a collegian.

Pickett set school singleseason records of 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns last season - the scoring passes are also an Atlantic Coast Conference mark - and Pitt career records of 12,303 yards and 81 touchdowns.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Pickett will compete with Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job. Pittsburgh was searching for a replacement for the retired Ben Roethlisberger.

"We circled the globe, or at least the United States, the last couple months, exploring and researching, and it's funny that we ended up with the guy next door," Tomlin said.

The Jaguars kicked off the festivities for the second straight season and were sold on Walker, who had six sacks last season while helping Georgia win the national championship. He had 9.5 sacks over three seasons with the Bulldogs.

Walker started all 15 games last season after not previously making a single start.

Walker, who wasn't in Las Vegas, was involved in a car accident two weeks ago in Georgia. He said in a postdraft teleconference that it was a minor crash.

Stingley was limited to three. The Lions tabbed defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the second pick. The Heisman Trophy runner-up was pleased to stay in the area after being a star at Michigan. Hutchinson set a school record with 14 sacks last sea-son while earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.the Houston Texans used the third overall pick on LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who played in just 10 games over the past two seasons.

The New York Jets also tabbed a cornerback at No. 4, Cincinnati's Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner.

The player who had nine career interceptions in 37 games (28 starts) with the Bearcats showed off a new SAUCE necklace.

The New York Giants used the fifth overall pick on edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oregon.