Without a glaring need to address, the Jacksonville Jaguars will have several appealing options at No. 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft. The most intriguing of the bunch could turn out to be Travis Hunter, who can play wide receiver and corner.
Taking the former Colorado Buffaloe would allow the Jags to fill a void on either side of the ball. However, other teams ahead of them may also be interested in the two-way star, so he may not be available when they're on the clock. And based on a recent scoop, that's a realistic scenario.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated says that Hunter and pass rusher Abdul Carter may not even make it to the New England Patriots, pointing out that the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants have shown strong interest in them.
"Starting to feel to me like there's a less and less of a likelihood that Abdul Carer or Travis Hunter get to the Patriots," Breer said. "The Browns and Giants have at least given off some signals over the last week or two that they could take position players Hunter, Carter at No. 2 and No. 3 and then double back on Day 2 and get a quarterback."
The Tennessee Titans are expected to draft quarterback Cam Ward first overall. Given that the Pats have Drake Maye in place, they won't use the No. 4 pick on a signal-caller. This means that they could potentially poach yet another of the Jaguars' draft targets if Carter and Hunter are gone when they're on the clock.
New England could use a pass rusher, a wide receiver, or the offensive line, so they may zero in on Jalon Walker, Tetairoa McMillan, or Mason Graham if Hunter is off the board. All three might be on Jacksonville's radar. Below is the clip of Breer discussing the possibility of neither Carter nor Hunter being available at No. 4.
There’s “less and less of a likelihood” that Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter fall to the #Patriots, per @AlbertBreer.
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) April 2, 2025
“The Browns and Giants have at least given off some signals over the last week or two that they could take position players: Hunter [or] Carter.”
(🎥 @NBCSBoston) pic.twitter.com/DFl3s0g2zn
What's the best alternative for the Jaguars if Travis Hunter isn't available?
If the Jacksonville Jaguars want to ensure they have a shot at drafting Travis Hunter, they may need to move up two or three spots. The downside is that it won't be cheap. They would at least need to part ways with a third- or second-round pick. And talented as the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner is, it may not be worth it. In fact, the Jags may be better off just going with the best player available when they're on the clock, regardless of how the first four picks play out.
It's important to point out that Abdul Carter isn't expected to make it No. 5, so that shouldn't be an issue. That said, Jacksonville will be paying strong attention to what the Patriots do one pick earlier. They share some of the same position needs, so they could be eyeing some of the same prospects. For the time being, the consensus sees the Jaguars rolling with defensive tackle Mason Graham. T
If New England does take on one of the players the Jags want to draft and Hunter is also gone, they could also consider the possibility to trade down and acquiring extra assets. Even if they moved back a few spots, they might still come out with a potential building block.
The bottom line is that it won't be the end of the world if Travis Hunter doesn't make it to No. 5, but Jacksonville shouldn't most definitely worry about the Patriots drafting their preferred prospects.