Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was in a celebratory mood in the hours after trading up from the No. 5 spot to select two-way star Travis Hunter with the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday.
Gladstone said the Jaguars won’t be shy about how they viewed Hunter.
“There are players who have the capacity to alter a game,” Gladstone said. “There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself. Travis, while he has a lot to still learn, in our eyes has the capacity to do just that.”
The party atmosphere wasn’t limited to Gladstone, a 34-year-old running his first draft after nine years with the Rams.
“Arik Armstead FaceTimed us from Green Bay,” first-year head coach Liam Coen said. “You couldn’t hear anything. It was a crazy atmosphere.”
Gladstone described feeling the room light up when Hunter entered the room at the NFL Scouting Combine. Out of fear of tipping their hand, Gladstone kept the team’s interest in acquiring the pick and the player to themselves until reaching out to Hunter’s agent.
“When he walks into the room, the light turns on. That (15-minute interview) was a moment that resonated with us,” Gladstone said. “It was really telling with the mind, the curiosity, the interest in growth.”
Gladstone said preparation made the franchise confident in making the move — and sacrificing next year’s first-round pick — standing on the principle that he wouldn’t be pleased if he looked back at “not doing something out of fear.”
“That’s not something I intend on doing the rest of my life,” he said. “Not being scared. Courage goes a long way.”
“This is certainly a statement for how we plan to move, how we plan to operate,” Gladstone said Thursday night of the bold move to acquire the Heisman Trophy winner.
Hunter showed no fear of the unknown as a college player, averaging more than 115 snaps per game as a wide receiver and cornerback.
“He is somebody who is deserving as a first-round draft pick as a wide receiver. And he is worthy as a first-round pick as a corner,” Gladstone said. “We’re excited about just getting him in the boat, so to speak.”
Gladstone said the Jaguars considered Hunter “rare” as a player and a person. He was universally praised by evaluators for his mental approach as a key reason he became a productive player at two vital positions.
“The accountability — the way that he’s in the facility at 5 a.m. training his body. He’s a 4.0 student. Goes on the field, he impacts the game. On both sides of the ball, he impacts the game,” Coen said. “He’s got a great feel for the game itself. Really good ball skills. He can do something with it after the catch.”
