Why Jags went all-in on Travis Hunter at the NFL draft: Will he play both sides of the ball?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars knew early in the pre-NFL draft process that they wanted Colorado's two-way star, Travis Hunter, but general manager James Gladstone admitted he didn't think they'd be able to pull it off, knowing he'd have to trade up from No. 5 overall.

So when he called the Cleveland Browns several weeks ago to see if they'd be able to work out a deal for the Browns' No. 2 pick, his expectations of getting something done were pretty low. That changed quickly and, within a couple of weeks, the Jaguars were able to pull off one of the boldest draft moves in franchise history.

"We engaged in those conversations with the idea that, 'Hey, this is more than likely going to be a stretch,'" Gladstone said after the Jaguars drafted Hunter on Thursday. "'It's probably not going to be something that we'll be able to bring to life. Let's just go in with that expectation so we're not ultimately disappointed.'

"And when things began to sort of grow and accelerate over the host of those conversations, obviously you become more firm in your stance and your pursuit. And so certainly happy with the way that it unfolded."

The Jaguars gave up their No. 5 pick, a second-round pick (No. 36) and a fourth-round pick (No. 126) in this year's draft, as well as their 2026 first-round pick. In return they acquired the Browns' No. 2 pick, a fourth-round pick (No. 104) and a sixth-round pick (No. 200).

The Jaguars believe the price was worth paying to get Hunter, who many believed was the most talented player in the draft because of his ability to play wide receiver and defensive back, both at an NFL level.

"He's somebody who is deserving of a first-round draft pick as a wide receiver, and he is worthy of a first-round draft pick as a corner," Gladstone said. "Certainly look forward to each of those elements showing themselves over the next few years while he's under his rookie contract. But yeah, we're excited about just getting him in the boat, so to speak."

So how will the pieces fall into place? Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco answers the biggest questions on what to expect from Hunter in Jacksonville, plus NFL insider Dan Graziano sizes up the AFC South and analyst Seth Walder grades the trade.

The Jaguars considered Hunter not only the best player in the draft, but one capable of transforming the franchise, and even the sport.

"You can count however many drafts you want to [and] there are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself," Gladstone said about the number of picks Jacksonville spent to move up.

"Travis, while he has a lot to still learn in our eyes, has the potential to do just that."

Gladstone, who spent nine years with the Rams' scouting department, wanted his first draft pick as the Jaguars GM to set the tone for his tenure.

"You know what, I probably got some familiarity with the '[F---] them picks' sort of process," he said. "For our fans, I'll tell you, don't be scared. This is something I'm uniquely positioned to navigate."

Moving up to get Hunter sends a significant message to the rest of the league: The Jaguars aren't going to be afraid to be bold and aggressive; in fact, that's going to be the way the franchise operates from now on. -- Michael DiRocco

Lawrence, the Jaguars' No. 1 pick in 2021, will get a second playmaker with elite ball skills to pair with receiver Brian Thomas Jr., the Jaguars' 2024 first-rounder.

The pair potentially gives the Jaguars an explosive, downfield passing attack for the first time since the early days of the franchise, when receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell combined for 13 1,000-yard seasons and helped the Jaguars make the playoffs in four consecutive seasons (1996-99). Hunter can join with Thomas to make the same kind of impact for Lawrence, who has struggled with consistency since arriving in Jacksonville.

This should also open things up in the middle of the field for tight end Brenton Strange and create more room for running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby as defenses focus on the wideouts. Coen had success last season as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator with dynamic receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, running back Bucky Irving and tight end Cade Otton. -- DiRocco

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It's unclear how much Hunter will play on defense. He's going to be more involved on offense at first, and his defensive package is expected to expand as he grows more comfortable.

When he is on the field the expectation is that he'll play outside corner opposite Tyson Campbell. Montaric Brown started 10 games there last season and 2024 third-round pick Jarrian Jones was expected to get a chance to compete at that spot, and that shouldn't change.

Hunter is not expected to play a full slate of snaps on defense and it will be interesting to see in what situations they'll deploy him. The obvious worry is the wear and tear he could endure in playing both ways at the NFL level, but Coen said they've already had discussions with the training, nutrition and equipment staff about ensuring Hunter is able to handle it. -- DiRocco

It solidifies them as the top challenger to the Houston Texans, which, to be honest, they should have been already. Jacksonville gave away the division with a late-season slide in 2023 and bottomed out last year with a 4-13 record. Lawrence is working his way back from injury, but once healthy he theoretically gives Jacksonville the only quarterback in the division who can claim to be at or near C.J. Stroud's level.

The Jaguars have underachieved the past couple of years and have an unproven first-year head coach in Coen. Adding Hunter is a great move if he is what they think he is: a high-level contributor on both sides of the ball. His ability to be that would also help justify the exorbitant cost of this deal for the Jaguars. This is not a roster devoid of talent, especially if the quarterback is healthy. We just haven't seen the them deliver on it. There may be plenty of on-paper upside to the Jaguars, but it's hard to say any move gives Jacksonville a leg up in a division in which the Texans, winners of two straight AFC South titles, will still be a worthy favorite. -- Dan Graziano

B. Was it worth it? As fun as it is, I have a hard time saying yes. Research over multiple decades has shown that NFL teams are overconfident in their ability to assess college prospects and that the trade market is inefficient for non-quarterbacks. By our Approximate Value-based draft pick value chart, the Browns gained surplus value worth the equivalent of a top-10 pick, assuming no discount for future picks and that next year's pick is No. 16.

The cost of the "overpay" by our chart is a shade less than what Houston paid a couple of years ago to move up for Will Anderson Jr., but make no mistake, the Jaguars paid a quarterback price in this trade. -- Seth Walder