The first day of the 2025 Draft was great for Travis Hunter, because the Jacksonville Jaguars traded away a significant package to move up and select him, showing they were fully invested in the Travis Hunter experience. The draft ending two days later also led to Jacksonville creating another special moment for Hunter.
Shortly after the seventh round ended, the Jaguars decided to sign undrafted free agent safety Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig. Silmon-Craig was teammates with Hunter the last three years at Colorado and Jackson State, and he holds a special place in Hunter’s life, so it definitely meant a lot to the second-overall pick that he’ll be starting this new journey with a brother by his side.
During a January episode of Hunter’s podcast, The Travis Hunter Show, he explained that Silmon-Craig is someone who has been by his side, leading him, since he was a freshman in college. Hunter was asked by a fan who is a teammate that had a big impact on him during his early football days, and he immediately named Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig.
"My boy Cam, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig. He took me under his wing. I did pretty much everything how he did: how he prepared, how he studied the playbook, the eating, workout. That was my workout buddy for probably the last two years…Cam is like my go-to person. If I needed him, pick me up, take me to practice. He's always there."Travis Hunter on Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig
Jaguars sign Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who had a big impact on Travis Hunter
The way Hunter speaks about Silmon-Craig is the way everyone in the Colorado program speaks about the safety. That’s why he could be a potential gem for the Jaguars, and not just someone to make Hunter more comfortable as he transitions to the NFL. Anyone associated with Colorado, or who watched the Buffs, would tell you that Silmon-Craig is the heartbeat of the defense and one of the most important leaders in the program.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who has been playing with Silmon-Craig since high school calls him Mr. Consistent. Sanders says that everyone knows the safety is always going to do his job, and that everything about him from practice to film study to game day is consistent.
Deion Sanders, and other coaches on Colorado’s staff, have frequently said that some team is going go pick up Silmon-Craig, and once they see him in camp, they’re never going to let him go. The reason Silmon-Craig‘s coaches have that confidence in him is because he simply does everything right.
He has long operated with a professional mindset, and that shows up on the field. Silmon-Craig is seemingly always in the right spot as a safety, and that’s why he had 98 tackles, 12 for a loss, thee sacks, four interceptions, and three fumble recoveries— including one for a touchdown —in two seasons at Colorado.
Now, he’ll continue to play alongside his good friend Travis Hunter, and prove all of his coaches right as he works to make the Jaguars’ 53-man roster.