Reviewing the Travis Hunter Trade: How the Browns-Jaguars Draft Day Deal Looks One Year Later

The Jaguars traded up with the Browns to select Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Jaguars made a massive move at last year’s NFL draft, trading up to the second pick in order to select Travis Hunter. Jacksonville, which owned the No. 5 pick in the draft, sent its own first-rounder as well as pick Nos. 36, 126 and a 2026 first-round selection to the Browns in exchange for pick Nos. 2, 104 and 200.

After the dust settled and all of the 2025 picks were made, the full trade ended up looking like this:

Jacksonville receives: Travis Hunter (pick No. 2), Bhayshul Tuten (pick No. 104) and Rayuan Lane III (pick No. 200)
Cleveland receives: Mason Graham (pick No. 5), Quinshon Judkins (pick No. 36), Dylan Sampson (pick No. 126), 2026 first-round pick (No. 24)

The Heisman winner had been steadfast about his intention to continue playing as a two-way player in the NFL, and he did so as a rookie with the Jaguars––at least until an ACL injury cut his season short after eight games.

MORE: When Can Jaguars Expect Travis Hunter to Return From Knee Injury?

While playing on both sides of the ball, Hunter logged 28 receptions, 298 yards and a touchdown as a wide receiver, and had 15 tackles and three passes defensed as a cornerback. In 2026, the team has indicated it intends to utilize Hunter as a full-time cornerback and part-time wide receiver, despite Hunter playing 67% of the team’s offensive snaps (when healthy) and just 38% on defense. The new approach with Hunter is a result of, at least in part, the depth Jacksonville now has at wide receiver, something it lacked when it drafted Hunter.

The trio of Parker Washington, who enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, Jakobi Meyers, who was acquired at the trade deadline, and Brian Thomas Jr., who is entering his third season, is one of the best wide receiving corps in the league. With that group providing excellent results, there’s less of a need for Hunter to be an impact player on offense, which in turn enables him to focus more on his defensive duties and his development on that side of the ball.

Hunter has the skill set to be an elite cornerback in this league. He’s remarkably quick, both in terms of his agility and his top-end speed, and as a part-time wide receiver, he boasts excellent hands for the position. Getting more reps at cornerback will be critical, and he should see plenty of opportunity there in 2026.

As for the rest of the trade, Graham and Judkins both enjoyed solid rookie seasons, though Judkins suffered an ankle injury late into the campaign. Graham had 49 tackles, 0.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in 2025, while Judkins rushed 230 times for 827 yards and seven touchdowns. Tuten, as it stands leading into the 2026 draft, figures to be the Jaguars’ top option out of the backfield next season. Jacksonville traded Tank Bigsby to the Eagles during the 2025 season and saw Travis Etienne Jr. join the Saints in free agency, paving Tuten’s path to the top of the depth chart.

The Browns now have two first-round picks in this upcoming draft, set to select at Nos. 6 and 24. They’ve been strongly linked to Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with their early first-round pick, and could look to select a tackle with pick No. 24, potentially someone like Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor. If the Browns are able to turn the No. 24 pick into an everyday starter, they should feel plenty good about the decision to move back in last year’s draft.

For this trade to end up leaning in favor of the Jaguars, they’ll need Travis Hunter to play like a bona fide CB1, and for Tuten to perform well as the team’s lead running back––or in a partnership if they add depth to the running backs room alongside him via this year’s draft. In 2025, Tuten served as more of a depth piece behind Etienne. He carried the ball 83 times for 307 yards and five touchdowns, and added a pair of receiving touchdowns, too. He excelled at finding the end zone, though his 3.7 yards per carry was well below league average.

Overall, this is a trade that fans could very well look back on and deem a win-win deal. At present, the Browns have the edge in terms of immediate production and the potential to add to their haul with the No. 24 pick. But down the line, if Hunter can develop into a lockdown cornerback, this trade may very well be viewed differently.

---