Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has developed plenty of first-round players with the Bulldogs and during his nine years as Nick Saban’s top assistant at Alabama.

But Travon Walker going No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night might be the most important draft pick of Smart’s career.

Already, the 2022 NFL Draft has represented a culmination of greatness in the Georgia football program, Smart having stacked one elite recruiting class after another.

There were a program-record 14 Bulldogs players at the NFL Combine, setting the stage for a school-record draft class that should easily exceed the previous mark (9) set last year.

But Walker’s pick is about more than just numbers and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ plan to tap into his talents and potential.

For Smart, Walker is proof positive the system works in Athens.

Do your job, do it well, and the NFL scouts and general managers will notice.

Walker invested his time playing on special teams and rotating in as a backup his first two seasons before breaking into the starting lineup in 2021.

Even then, Walker’s statistics did not suggest he would be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

There were elite performances — Walker had 7 QB pressures in the Bulldogs’ 33-18 CFP Championship Game win over Alabama.

But for the season, Walker was only 11th on this Georgia football team in tackles, with 36, and he had just six sacks.

And yet, Smart described Walker as a “once-in-a-lifetime” player, taking into account his rare mix of size (6-foot-5, 272 pounds) and speed 4.51-second time in the 40-yard dash.

The Bulldogs’ used Walked in several ways, developing his skills while also showcasing his versatility.

“He didn’t just line up and rush on the edge,” Smart said. “We asked him to do a lot of different things.”

But more than anything, Smart asked Walker to buy in and trust the system.

On Thursday night in Las Vegas, site of the 2022 NFL Draft, a team-first approach paid off for Walker in a way that will resonate with current and future Georgia football players.