Future favors the bold, and the Jacksonville Jaguars made a bold move when they traded up to draft two-way star Travis Hunter at No. 2. While they had to give up second and third-round selections, they knew they couldn't pass up the chance to acquire a franchise-altering player. Not surprisingly, the Jags have gotten rave reviews for pulling off a draft heist.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports gave Jacksonville an A- for drafting Hunter, pointing out that he's one of the most unique prospects to come out of college football in a while.
"Jacksonville wasted no time making a splash under new general manager James Gladstone, essentially giving up a pair of Day 2 picks to move up just three spots on Thursday, plus 22 spots in the fourth round. And the end result with the top pick: just one of the most unique prospects to come out of college football in ... decades? "
Benjamin then argues that Hunter's ability to line up at cornerback and receiver may not be sustainable in the NFL, but will be a game-changer regardless of the position he plays.
"Look, Hunter's two-way prowess may or may not be sustainable at the NFL level, but there's a reason former Titans general manager Ran Carthon compared him to Champ Bailey and Charles Woodson. He profiles as a Grade-A starter at either wide receiver or cornerback, thanks to elite instincts and ball skills."
Champ Bailey and Charles Woodson are Hall-of-Fame cornerbacks, so the Jaguars will be thrilled if the West Palm Beach, Florida native can achieve that level of play.
Chad Reuter of NFL Media also gave the Jags an A- and more or less echoes Benjamin's sentiment, and it's easy to see why. Although the cost was a bit steep, the Jaguars got a playmaker that will immediately raise the team's floor.
Even if Hunter doesn't have a featured role early as a rookie, he'll force opposing teams to game plan for him, or else run the risk of getting torched on offense or defense.
On a related note, Benjamin gave the Cleveland Browns a C because they got a pretty good haul in exchange for the No. 2 pick, but the decision to pass on Hunter could hover over them. Sure, you could make the case that the Browns got first and second-round picks and could turn those selections into productive players, but if Hunter delivers, they'll perpetually be known as the team that passed on him.
Why the Jaguars deserve high praise for making a bold trade to draft Travis Hunter
If the Jacksonville Jaguars had stayed put and drafted Ashton Jeanty, nobody would've batted an eye. After all, he was arguably the second-best prospect in the whole draft class, and they wouldn't have to give up any draft picks to choose him. Having said that, the front office couldn't pass on Travis Hunter's game-changing skills.
On offense, the former Colorado Buffalo will round out Trevor Lawrence's arsenal. With him in the fold, defenses will no longer be able to double-team Brian Thomas Jr. Similarly, his presence will leave fellow receivers Dyami Brown and Parker Washington with more favorable matchups.
On defense, Hunter gives defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile a chess piece that will allow him to look for mismatches. He'll probably start the season behind Jarrian Jones, Tyson Campbell, and Jourdan Lewis, but don't be surprised if he supplants any of them and earns a featured role by the end of the year.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars knew they needed to raise the roster ceiling in the Draft after raising the floor in the draft. Trading up for Hunter accomplished just that, and the reviews reflect it.