The Jacksonville Jaguars will sit out the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, the first time that’s happened in the franchise’s 31-year history.
The reason: Travis Hunter.
Jacksonville traded a package that included its 2026 first-rounder to the Cleveland Browns last April to move up three spots and draft him, and the bill comes due this week.
The Travis Hunter Trade That Cost the Jaguars Their 2026 First-Rounder
On draft night last April, the Jaguars sent the No. 5 overall pick, the No. 36 pick, the No. 126 pick, and their 2026 first-rounder to the Cleveland Browns. In return, Jacksonville received the No. 2 overall pick, the No. 104 pick, and the No. 200 pick. The Jaguars used the No. 2 selection on Hunter, the two-way Heisman winner out of Colorado.
Cleveland’s acquired first-rounder from Jacksonville now sits at No. 24 overall in this week’s draft. The Browns also hold their own pick at No. 6. General manager Andrew Berry walks into Pittsburgh with two first-round selections because of the deal he made a year ago.
Jacksonville GM James Gladstone framed the move as a statement on organizational identity.
“It’s rare to be able to target and prioritize a player who can alter the trajectory of the sport itself,” Gladstone told reporters after the trade. “And Travis is somebody that we view has the potential to do that.” Asked about giving up the 2026 first-rounder specifically, he pointed to his background with the Rams and Les Snead’s well-known approach to draft capital.
MORE: 2026 NFL Draft HQ
The Jaguars don’t select until No. 56 overall, midway through Round 2 on Friday night. They hold 11 total picks across the draft and could trade back into Thursday, but barring a move, the first day ends without a Jacksonville selection called.
How the Travis Hunter Trade Looks One Year Later
Hunter’s rookie season ended in November after he tore the LCL in his right knee during an Oct. 30 practice. He had surgery in Dallas in mid-November with a six-month recovery timeline, which puts him on track to rejoin the Jaguars for their offseason program. His rookie line: 28 catches on 45 targets for 298 yards and one touchdown as a receiver, 15 tackles and three pass breakups as a corner across seven games. He played 67% of offensive snaps and 36% of defensive snaps before the injury.
Cleveland’s return on the same trade has been substantial. The Browns used the No. 5 pick on Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who finished with 49 tackles and seven tackles for loss as a rookie starter. They used the No. 36 pick on running back Quinshon Judkins, who rushed for 827 yards before a late-season injury.
Their broader 2025 class, built partly on the picks pried loose in the Hunter trade, produced Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who led all NFL rookies in receptions (72) and receiving yards (731). Cleveland finished 5-12. The rookie class is why the franchise thinks it’s closer to contention than the record suggests.
The Jaguars won the trade in the standings this season regardless. Jacksonville finished 13-4 under first-year head coach Liam Coen, the franchise’s best record since 1999, and took the AFC South. Whether the Hunter piece of the deal holds up long-term depends entirely on what he looks like when he returns, and whether he’s healthy enough to finally play two ways the way Gladstone sold the pick for.
Cleveland walks into Pittsburgh on Thursday with two first-round picks because of that bet. Jacksonville walks in with none.
