Subscribe
Follow Us
Most NFL Draft analysts correctly predicted the order of the first five or six picks, but what many people overlooked was the Jacksonville Jaguars' unrelenting desire to acquire star cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. They swapped first and fourth-round picks with the Cleveland Browns and shipped out a 2026 first along with the No. 36 selection (running back Quinshon Judkins) for this year's No. 2 pick (Hunter).
The huge trade injected further excitement and chaos into Green Bay, Wisconsin, the host city for the draft, and produced varying reactions around the NFL world. Given the plump trade package the Jags sent to Cleveland, plenty of people assumed they successfully made a final push to close the deal. Apparently, though, this move was already locked and loaded more than two weeks before it was announced.
“The deal was agreed to in principle on April 7, after just two days of negotiation between Jags GM James Gladstone and Browns GM Andrew Berry,” Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported. “At that point, Jacksonville had only had 15 minutes of interaction with Hunter—which happened face-to-face at the combine, in a formal interview at Lucas Oil Stadium.”
Is this leap of faith too big for Jaguars?
What is it they say? When you know, you know. The Jaguars are counting on Hunter's versatility to catapult them into a prosperous future. Facing pressure to assemble as much talent as possible around quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is under the microscope himself, Gladstone sacrificed significant draft capital for an unprecedented prospect.
Although he was only hired in late February, this move could realistically define the general manager's entire tenure. The proactive approach that Gladstone took to secure it shows that he believes that as well. It is undeniably a gamble, considering we have never seen anyone sustain a two-way workload in the unforgiving NFL, but few people share Hunter's ambition or natural ability.
The 21-year-old won the 2024 Heisman Trophy after amassing 96 receptions, 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns at receiver, and four interceptions and 11 pass breakups at corner during the 2024 season. He helped revive Colorado football and solidified himself as a football unicorn. Despite having limited contact with Hunter, Jacksonville saw enough to be convinced that his skill set was worth acquiring.
First-year Jaguars head coach Liam Coen will now have a weapon he could employ on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, the Browns are compiling assets and positioning themselves to take a high-level prospect in next year's draft.
Their decision to pass on a potential generational talent looms large, but the future first-rounder and national champion Quinshon Judkins could become valuable components of a welcome new era of Cleveland football.
Both franchises desperately require serious change. They recognized that fact and nailed down a trade that could give them the means to achieve it.
