The NFL draft’s opening night in April 2025 was a gut-punch of surprises, and the Jacksonville Jaguars landed the biggest blow. They traded up to snag the No. 2 overall pick from the Cleveland Browns, drafting Colorado’s Travis Hunter—a Heisman Trophy-winning cornerback and wide receiver who’s got the league buzzing. The move, announced on April 25, sent shockwaves through the draft room and set tongues wagging about Jacksonville’s bold new direction.
Hunter, a 21-year-old phenom, is no ordinary prospect. He’s a two-way star, the kind of player who makes coaches drool and opponents sweat. At Colorado, he logged 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on offense while snagging four interceptions and breaking up 31 passes on defense. His 2024 Heisman win—the first for a primarily defensive player since Charles Woodson in 1997—cemented his rep as a generational talent. The Jaguars, desperate for a spark after a 3-14 season, saw Hunter as their guy.
The trade wasn’t cheap. Jacksonville coughed up their No. 6 pick, a second-rounder, and a 2026 first-rounder to leapfrog the draft order. It’s a gamble that screams confidence in Hunter’s ability to transform a franchise. He’s expected to start at cornerback, with offensive snaps as a wideout in specific packages. Coaches are already drawing up plays to exploit his freakish athleticism—6-foot-1, 185 pounds, with a 4.3-second 40-yard dash.
Draft night in Detroit was electric, and the Jaguars’ move stole the show. Fans at the event roared when Hunter’s name flashed across the big screen, his highlight reel of one-handed catches and bone-rattling tackles playing nonstop. He walked onstage in a sharp black suit, grinning wide, and hugged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell before donning a Jaguars cap.
Jacksonville’s front office had been tight-lipped before the draft, but whispers of their love for Hunter surfaced on April 16 when analysts pegged him as a top-five lock. The Browns, holding the No. 2 pick, were reportedly torn between Hunter and a quarterback. Jacksonville pounced, sealing the deal hours before the draft kicked off.
Hunter’s versatility is his calling card. In college, he played over 1,200 snaps a season, splitting time almost evenly between offense and defense. His coaches at Colorado called him a “unicorn”—a player who can lock down elite receivers one play and burn corners for a 60-yard touchdown the next. The Jaguars plan to lean on that flexibility to shake up their roster, which ranked 28th in total defense and 22nd in scoring last year.
The draft’s first round saw 12 quarterbacks go off the board, a record, but Hunter’s selection was the night’s loudest statement. He’s the highest-drafted two-way player since the NFL merger in 1970. Jacksonville’s coaching staff, led by Doug Pederson, now faces the challenge of carving out a role for a guy who’s too good to keep off the field.
Hunter grew up in Suwanee, Georgia, and starred at Collins Hill High School before flipping his commitment from Florida State to Colorado in 2021. His high school coach once said he’d “bet the house” on Hunter playing both ways in the NFL. Looks like Jacksonville’s ready to cash that bet.
The Jaguars open their season on September 7 against the Miami Dolphins. Hunter is listed as a starter at cornerback and a rotational receiver. His jersey, No. 12, went on sale at the team store on April 26. It sold out in three hours.