NFL draft 2025: Jaguars trade up to land 2-way star Travis Hunter

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a significant trade with the Cleveland Browns, moving up to the No. 2 overall spot in the draft to select Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

How will Travis Hunter's recruitment change the league's set-up?

In exchange, Jacksonville sent the No. 5 overall pick in 2025, the 36th pick (second round), the 126th pick (fourth round), and a first-round pick in 2026 to Cleveland. The Browns used the No. 5 pick to select standout defensive tackle Mason Graham from Michigan. This trade marked the first instance of a first-round pick being exchanged in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Hunter, a dual-threat player, has the potential to make game-changing plays on both offense and defense. This bold move by first-year general manager James Gladstone provides new head coach Liam Coen with the top prize of the 2025 NFL Draft. Hunter is an exceptionally rare talent, significantly enhancing both the Jaguars' offense and defense.

The athlete who hails from Colorado has an impressive collection of accolades, including being named an All-American in both of his seasons with the Buffaloes, winning the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Player of the Year award in 2024, the Biletnikoff Award for the best wide receiver, and the Bednarik Award for the top defender.

"The fact that it came to life as seamlessly as it did once the bell rang is something that was fulfilling,” Gladstone said, via transcript from the team. “Being able to sit here tonight with Travis Hunter as a Jacksonville Jaguar is a vision that Liam [Coen], myself, Tony [Boselli] and the rest of our coaching staff and scouting staff certainly have a collective vision for and are really interested in getting him here, getting him to the city, letting our fanbase begin to feel him and ultimately his teammates begin to get to work with him.”

Initially, Hunter joined head coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State as the No. 1 recruit in 2022, being the first five-star football player to sign with an FCS program in two decades. He followed Sanders to Colorado in 2023, where he thrived alongside Sanders' son, Shedeur.

Last season, Hunter played an incredible 1,460 snaps, averaging 111.5 per game as a full-time wide receiver and cornerback. No other player has averaged over 78 snaps per game in the last decade. As a cornerback, he notched a career-best four interceptions and defended 11 passes in 2024. Offensively, he recorded 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, all ranking in the top five in the FBS.

Regardless of how the Jaguars choose to utilize Hunter, he addresses a crucial need. Offensively, he complements 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. as a versatile target known for his ability to make tough catches and gain yards after the catch and on the defensive side, Hunter will be a valuable asset to the Jacksonville secondary.