Travis Hunter was the No. 1 prospect on many teams’ draft boards. With the drafting of Cam Ward at number 1 overall, Hunter was fully expected to land in Cleveland. However, in a surprise move, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars who landed the two-way star as they moved up three spots to trade with the Browns.
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The move shocked the football world and became the first domino in the draft, shaking things up early on. Everyone was blindsided by the move as the Jaguars and Browns did a good job at keeping the trade a secret.
Joining the Pat McAfee Show, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen detailed how both sides kept things low-key, leading to a big draft day surprise trade early on.
“It was pretty consistent throughout that we wanted to keep quiet,” Coen said. “Both organizations did a good job at keeping it professional, doing it the right way, and it all worked out for the best.”
Coen revealed that the team started thinking about pulling the trigger on making the move up for Hunter when general manager James Gladstone approached them with the idea. He thought that drafting Hunter at either position would be worth the gamble moving up, and the rest iss history.
“About a month prior to the draft, we started having conversations,” Coen said. “James [Gladstone] came into our office, and he said, ‘hey, what would you guys think if we could go and make this thing happen?’ When you go through the evaluation process of Travis on both sides of the ball, you say, yeah, I would take him as a DB and as a receiver.”
Hunter is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing rookies to watch this season, largely because his role on the field is still taking shape. Though he’s primarily viewed as a wide receiver, the Jaguars have been experimenting with his versatility by giving him reps at cornerback as well. He’s been actively involved in meetings and practices for both positions.
Coen noted that the coaching staff is still determining the most effective way for Hunter to absorb and develop at each spot. So far, he’s practiced at both receiver and cornerback, and the Jaguars are fully committed to exploring his two-way potential.
Notably, during mandatory minicamp, Hunter began taking snaps at both positions within the same practice sessions—something the team didn’t implement during OTAs but introduced as minicamp progressed. This shift underscores Jacksonville’s confidence in his adaptability.
The Jaguars are being cautious not to overload him, aiming for a gradual buildup that allows him to contribute on both sides of the ball by season’s end. Early reports from OTAs and minicamp have been glowing, with many within the organization believing Hunter is well on his way to becoming the dynamic playmaker they envisioned when they drafted him.
