After the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select Travis Hunter with the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, general manager James Gladstone said that he's the kind of athlete who won't only change the course of the franchise or the city, but of the sport as a whole as well. That's a hefty expectation, but if anyone can pull it off, it's the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner. So far, he's off to a great start.
Per Ariv Meirov of The 33rd Team, Hunter leads all rookie players in jersey sales at the NFL Pro Shop. This is notable because Cam Ward was drafted one pick earlier, but is currently trailing in sales. Then again, it's also noteworthy that Shedeur Sanders is third on the list despite the fact that he was expected to go in the first round but slid to the fifth.
Running back Ashton Jeanty landed up at No. 4 while wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is fifth. The New York Giants have two players on the list with quarterback Jaxson Dart and pass rusher Abdul Carter taking the sixth and seventh spots, respectively. Wide receiver Matthew Golden, who went to the Green Bay Packers in the first round, popped up at No. 8 while Colts tight end Tyler Warren took the ninth spot, with Colston Loveland making the cut at No. 10.
Sanders notwithstanding, all the rookies with the best-selling jerseys were first-round selections. This isn't necessarily surprising when you consider that they carved illustrious collegiate careers. This is also true for Hunter and his former teammate, who together lit up the scoreboard at Colorado.
The best-selling jersey among rookies is jus the start for Travis Hunter and the Jaguars
All things considered, it's not shocking to see Travis Hunter at the top of the list of best-selling jerseys. After all, he was the best prospect regardless of the position in this year's draft. Moreover, he's highly marketable as demonstrated by the deals he inked with Panini America and Adidas.
Of course, Hunter has to prove himself on the football field. His college heroics helped him go second overall, but they won't matter at the NFL level. Working in his favor is that he's got a chip on his shoulder but feels no pressure, ready to prove the Jacksonville Jaguars made the right decision when they moved up to select him.
Sure, Hunter will need to make the adjustment to the pros and will have to do so playing two positions before he can take the NFL by storm and alter the landscape of the sport. But if anyone can pull it off, it's him. He did enough at the collegiate level to get the benefit of the doubt. His jersey sales show that he's on the right track.