What Travis Hunter’s season-ending injury means for Cleveland Browns’ draft pick

It was an underwhelming rookie season for two-way sensation and Heisman winner Travis Hunter.

Prior to the NFL Draft, many believed that Hunter would wind up with the Browns after general manager Andrew Berry compared the Colorado standout to Shohei Ohtani.

But a draft day trade between the Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars allowed first-year general manager James Gladstone to jump into the No. 2 overall draft slot and select the top-rated talent in this class.

Hunter will miss the remainder of his rookie season due to a knee surgery to repair a torn LCL.

That draft night trade gave the Browns the No. 5 overall pick, which they used on Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham. Then, the Browns also landed the No. 36 overall selection which they used on standout running back Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State. The Browns also added another fourth-round selection, which they used on running back Dylan Sampson.

But the crown jewel of that draft night trade was Jacksonville’s 2026 first-round pick. That selection will give the Browns two first rounders ahead of April’s draft. The Browns have plenty of needs, spanning from quarterback, offensive line and wide receiver. An additional first-round selection will certainly help things.

In Week 10, the Jaguars collapsed to the Houston Texans who were without C.J. Stroud. That loss hurt Jacksonville’s record, as they are now just 5-4. If the NFL Draft were to be held ahead of Week 11, Tankathon.com currently has Jacksonville’s pick as No. 19 overall.

Certainly, another top 20 draft pick would help Cleveland’s offensive woes. Or, if the Browns fall in love with a specific quarterback in the 2026 class, they could use that selection as ammunition to trade up. After Cleveland’s loss to the New York Jets, the Browns would be slated to have the No. 4 overall selection.

When the Jaguars selected Hunter, they imagined getting a top wide receiver and top defensive back. While Hunter has been average at both positions in his first few games, his absence will still create a massive hole on both sides of the roster.

Looking ahead, the Jaguars have some difficult games. While they still have two matchups against the hapless Tennessee Titans, they also have two remaining games against the Indianapolis Colts. They will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11 and also have to travel to Denver to face the Broncos.

Because Hunter hasn’t commanded a massive role during his rookie season, his absence won’t be dramatically missed. However, hovering just one game above .500 puts pressure on the Jaguars to capitalize on their winnable games.

If the Jaguars make the NFL Playoffs, it’s difficult to see a world where they make much noise. Losing Hunter will only make life harder for quarterback Trevor Lawrence and head coach Liam Coen, who will desperately try to win games since they don’t even own their own draft pick.

The Browns did a tremendous job with their draft night trade. While Hunter could eventually develop into a game-changer in the NFL, Graham and Judkins look like cornerstone pieces of the franchise moving forward. The bonus first-round pick, regardless of where it ends up, will undeniably help Cleveland's rebuilding efforts.