How the Jaguars' Trade For Travis Hunter Helped Define 2025 Season

The Jacksonville Jaguars' trade up for Travis Hunter will be discussed and debated for years to come.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stands with Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter after he is selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the number two pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars had quite the 2025 to remember, and it all started before the Jaguars even played a snap.

On the night of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jaguars pulled off the biggest draft trade in franchise history when they traded multiple top picks to the Cleveland Browns in an effort to move to the No. 2 pick and select Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

With the 2025 season now in review, it is clear the Hunter trade was one of the defining moments of the entire NFL season -- and not just for the Jaguars.

Hunter's Moment

CBS Sports recently took a look at the 25 biggest stories from the 2025 NFL season, and the trade-up for Hunter landed at No. 17.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) yells as his is introduced before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"New Jaguars GM James Gladstone promised to be bold when he took the job, and he certainly lived up to that promise quickly, trading up from Nos. 5 to 2 overall to select Heisman Trophy-winning cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. The Jaguars traded several picks, including their 2026 first-round selection, to Cleveland, which took Mason Graham at No. 5," CBS Sports said.

"It was the first draft time a team traded into the top two picks to select a non-quarterback prospect since the Rams moved up for Orlando Pace in 1997. Hunter remained a two-way player for Jacksonville, though it wasn't exactly a splashy debut. He played roughly two-thirds of the team's offensive snaps and just over one-third of its defensive snaps."

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) looks to the sideline during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Seahawks defeated the Jaguars 20-12. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hunter will be expected to play a massive role for the Jaguars in 2026, with the Jaguars already making it clear that he will still play on both sides of the ball. This time around, though, Hunter is expected to see more of a focus at cornerback than he did a year ago, in large part because of how the Jaguars' roster is set to be constructed.

Hunter will need a big year, and then some, to damper doubts that people outside Duval have. Expect him to be ready for it.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) walks on the field before an NFL football matchup, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Seahawks defeated the Jaguars 20-12. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"He had by far his best performance -- eight catches, 101 yards and a touchdown -- in a Week 7 loss to the Rams," CBS said. "That proved to be his last game, as he suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice shortly thereafter. Hunter finished with 28 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown as well as 15 tackles, three passes defensed and a forced fumble. He's expected to play both ways again in 2026."

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