When the Jacksonville Jaguars made the bold move to trade up to the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they weren’t just chasing talent; they were chasing something special.
They went for Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, who gained notoriety for his outstanding offensive and defensive abilities. Hunter was not just another prospect to the Jaguars; they saw a player who could transform the game of football.
How Did Jacksonville Aquire Travis Hunter? A Look Back at the Trade
Jacksonville had to pay a high price to make it happen. Their 2026 first-round pick, a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and their No. 5 overall pick were all included in the package they handed to the Cleveland Browns.
For Cleveland, it was an opportunity to build long-term depth. The Browns used those assets to draft defensive tackle Mason Graham and running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, all of whom are already seeing key roles, especially after Nick Chubb’s departure in free agency.
It’s a deal that, in many ways, reshaped both franchises.
The trade came together quietly behind the scenes. Jaguars general manager James Gladstone revealed that the framework had been in place nearly two weeks before the draft but was kept under wraps until Cleveland was on the clock.
“Keeping it quiet wasn’t easy,” Gladstone told CBS Sports. “But we knew we were making a move for someone who could impact the game in ways most players can’t.”
How Has Hunter Done so Far in the 2025 Season?
Now heading to Week 7, Hunter’s early NFL career has been a combination of missed opportunities and some sunlight. He’s already recorded 20 receptions for 197 yards in six games, along with 15 combined tackles and two passes defended. As he learns to manage playing both sides at the professional level, the Jaguars are carefully avoiding overloading him.
Coaches say he’s progressing every week, and his natural ability continues to shine through, even in limited action.
His teammates describe him as humble, hungry, and endlessly competitive, someone who simply loves being on the field. While his defensive performance has stood out more so far, the Jaguars expect his offensive opportunities to grow as he becomes more comfortable in the system.
Jacksonville’s investment appears to have a significant chance of paying off, though it’s still early. There is no denying Hunter’s brilliance, his unwavering mentality, and his boundless potential.
As he continues to grow, the Jaguars may have discovered a guy who can redefine what is feasible in the current NFL. They saw something unique in him.
Jaguars Players’ Fantasy Outlooks for Week 7
Here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote about the fantasy outlooks of the notable Rams players for their Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams:
Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence ran for multiple scores in Week 5 and threw for multiple touchdowns on Sunday against a tough Seahawks defense (his second such game of the season).
It would appear that he is starting to develop a connection with Brian Thomas (8-90-1 on 10 targets), and that has to be the case if he’s going to provide us with streaming value the rest of the way.
I wouldn’t be inclined to go this direction this week in a tough matchup while abroad, but there are three favorable matchups in November, and that’ll hold value as injuries at the position continue to pile up.
Brian Thomas Jr.
Some people are concerned about whether a groundhog will see its shadow, while others watch patiently for their second-round pick to score a touchdown.
Those of us who fall into the latter bucket were finally satisfied over the weekend, as Seattle’s offense treated Brian Thomas Jr. in a similar fashion to Trevor Lawrence for chunks of this season and completely ignored him.
When it works in this direction, it’s a big gain for us (21-yard touchdown). This was his second double-digit target effort of the season, and he’s now totaled 170 receiving yards in October (September: 164).
The production was better, but the role? Not so much. He’s been in that 23-24% target-share range for three straight weeks, and the aDOT has been consistent; he just happened to turn it into fantasy points in this spot.
I don’t think we are out of the woods at all, and I’m not sure I’ll buy it until we see some consistency from Lawrence. Thomas is the only Jaguar pass-catcher I’m interested in at this point, and he’s a viable flex, but not the lineup lock we drafted him to be after he exploded in the second half of his rookie year.
Travis Hunter
I can post the participation report weekly, and I do, but this is a production-based business, and I can’t recommend adding Travis Hunter to your flex radar until we see something that changes.
Weekly Participation Report
- Week 1: 27 routes, 6 defensive snaps
- Week 2: 27 routes, 39 defensive snaps
- Week 3: 27 routes, 41 defensive snaps
- Week 4: 23 routes, 9 defensive snaps
- Week 5: 26 routes, 25 defensive snaps
- Week 6: 44 routes, 22 defensive snaps
Last weekend was encouraging, and the seven targets earned were his most since his debut. Still, the majority of his looks carry next to no upside and rely on his special athletic talents to generate any fantasy value.
He had the jump-ball win in Week 5 against the Chiefs, but outside of that, we are looking at 5.1 yards per target and an end zone once every three weeks.
It would take this offense clicking on all cylinders to provide that profile with enough opportunities to be interesting, and… well, I think we can agree that Trevor Lawrence isn’t exactly in the MVP conversation.
Hold him for the raw ability, but with the understanding that you’re assured of nothing weekly.
Trevor Etienne Jr.
Travis Etienne holds the lead back duties for one of the more surprising teams of the season, but it’s hard to feel great about plugging him in with anything more than low-end RB2 expectations.
The past two matchups have been tough (Chiefs and Seahawks), I’ll grant you that, but 31 touches for 113 yards, no touchdowns, and no 10-yard gains?
The Rams are the seventh-best YPC run defense against running backs this season, and, given that Jacksonville at least flirted with the idea of a committee approach early last week by handing the ball to a different RB on each of their first three attempts, the ceiling doesn’t feel nearly as high as it did just a few weeks ago.
A 15-18 touch role is hard to find and, for now, that much appears to be safe for Etienne, thus keeping him in lineups. That said, this is lining up to be more of a “you got what you paid for” type of season than the season-altering type.
