The upside of having one a bad record ahead of Week 11 is the Jacksonville Jaguars are on pace to lock up a high pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Heck, if the season ended right now, they would clinch the top overall selection by virtue of being 2-8. The issue of having such a premium pick is that the Jags already have Trevor Lawrence in the fold, so they won't probably be taking a quarterback. That's led Brent Sobleski to suggest that they skip two-way star Travis Hunter and trade down to hoard extra selections.
Sobleski talked about different strategies teams with a losing record could follow in the draft. He thinks that having Lawrence under contract will allow Jacksonville to trade down in exchange for premium compensation.
"They signed Trevor Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million contract extension during the summer. Whether that's money well-spent has yet to be decided, but the Jaguars are locked into him behind center.
Other teams aren't as settled at the game's most important position. A top-two draft pick in a class that looks like the QB setup is a two-horse race provides a position of strength to discuss and eventually enact a trade."
Hunter is coming off a jaw-dropping performance, reeling in nine catches for 99 yards while allowing a measly reception for five yards. His 24-yard touchdown reception against Texas Tech made the highlight reels.
TRAVIS HUNTER TO THE HOUSE 🏠@CUBuffsFootball extends the lead in Lubbock 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VknF4aBTrZ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 9, 2024
Not surprisingly, he just got ahead of Miami quarterback Cam Ward in the race for the Heisman Trophy. But wait! There's more. The Colorado standout holds Pro Football Focus overall grades that rank inside the top five at corner and receiver.
Travis Hunter has graded inside the top five at two positions🤯 pic.twitter.com/toKBjN69i5
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 8, 2024
For the season, Hunter has logged 69 receptions for 856 yards with nine touchdowns. On defense, he's surrendered 17 receptions on 24 targets for 125 yards, just four first downs, and no touchdowns.
The Jags could most definitely use that kind of talent. On the other hand, following Sobleski's suggestion would also make ample sense.
Why the Jaguars are better off passing on Travis Hunter and hoarding draft picks
The Jacksonville Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence a $275 million contract in the offseason, so it's fair to say that they won't be moving on from him anytime soon. That will present a conundrum in the 2025 NFL Draft. They're on pace to have a top 5 pick but if they end with the first or second, that's too high a pick to select a cornerback or a receiver. Meanwhile, teams in need of a long-term answer behind center will likely be willing to pay a premium to move up. That will present a prime opportunity for the Jags.
They could move out of the top 10 and still address one of the top needs while getting extra selections. Two first and two second wouldn't be farfetched, and they could use all those assets to replenish the roster and balance the cap.
Having given top-market contracts to Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen, and Tyson Campbell in the offseason, Jacksonville may not have much space to work with in the offseason, so they'll need to turn to the draft to take care of their needs. As of this writing, it looks like offensive tackle, offensive guard, cornerback, safety, and the interior defensive line will be their top priorities. That's why having extra selections would come in handy.
Let's say the team's brass lets Walker Little walk in free agency and look for his replacement in the draft. There doesn't seem to be a top-notch prospect early in the first round. They could move down and nab one in the teens. Similarly, they could move down and still add another receiver or a cornerback. Granted, staying put and going after Travis Hunter is also a reasonable course of action, but the Jaguars won't have a shortage of options, and that's a good thing.
The regular season is still ongoing, so things could change from now until Week 18. That said, the Jaguars are trending toward earning a top 5 selection, and while there's merit in taking Travis Hunter, he'll be far from the only path they can take.