Why the Browns are winning the Travis Hunter trade through three weeks

Let's revisit the draft day trade between the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars that gave the Browns a future first-round pick.

Jul 23, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, right, and executive vice president, football operations & general manager Andrew Berry watch the team during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Fresh off an exciting, comeback win on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland fans are celebrating their first Victory Monday of this season, and now is a great time to look back to the draft day trade between the Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Back in April, the Browns owned the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they were widely expected to select the WR/DB and Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter with that pick.

However, Browns GM Andrew Berry decided to go in a different direction.

The pick was traded to the Jaguars, along with a fourth-round pick (No. 104 overall), and a sixth-round pick (No. 200 overall), in exchange for their first-round pick (No. 5 overall), their second-round pick (No. 36 overall), a fourth-round pick (No. 126 overall), and a 2026 first-round pick.

The Jaguars went on to select Travis Hunter with that second pick, and the Browns took defensive tackle Mason Graham out of Michigan with the fifth pick. 

Initial reactions to the trade were a mix of emotions, and that was fair, at the time, but through three games, this trade has looked like a slam dunk for the Browns. 

Graham has fit right in with this amazing defensive line unit for the Browns and he will continue to get better. He was disruptive on Sunday against the Packers.

Mason Graham recorded a 43% pass rush win rate against the Packers today.

Average for a defensive tackle is 9%.

— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) September 21, 2025

Meanwhile Travis Hunter hasn’t gotten off to the start he was hoping for. Hunter has just 10 catches for 76 yards through three games, and 9 total tackles on defense. 

Travis Hunter -

Week 1: 8 offensive targets, played 10% of defensive snaps

Week 2: 6 offensive targets, played 60% of defensive snaps

Week 3: 2 offensive targets, played 69% of defensive snaps

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) September 22, 2025

The other names from this trade haven’t even been mentioned yet, and this trade already seems like a win for the Browns.

With the extra second-round pick that the Browns received, they selected Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins. While he had his off the field drama this offseason, through two games, he has looked like the RB1 of the future for the Browns. 

The Browns drafted another running back with the fourth-round pick from the Jaguars, Dylan Sampson. He has shown promise to become a big contributor moving forward. 

Jacksonville selected running back Bhayshul Tuten with the fourth-round pick (No. 104 overall) from the Browns, and safety Rayuan Lane III with the sixth-round pick (No. 200 overall). 

The last piece of the trade for the Browns, is the 2026 first rounder from Jacksonville. This pick gives the Browns two first-round picks in the 2026 draft. 

Cleveland is hopeful that the Jaguars struggle this season, so that draft pick is high. 

It is still very early to declare a winner of this trade. But so far, the Browns have knocked it out of the park.