When the Jacksonville Jaguars placed Travis Hunter on Injured Reserve due to a non-contact knee injury, the expectation was that he was going to come back at some point of the regular season. After all, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn't damage his ACL. But somewhere along the way, the plan changed, and he underwent surgery.
Now that Hunter's rookie campaign has come to a screeching halt, the already underwhelming 2025 Jaguars draft class looks even worse.
Travis Hunter and LeQuint Allen were the only Jaguars rookies making an impact
The Jaguars came out of the 2025 draft with nine selections, but only a few of them have been getting meaningful playing time. Travis Hunter led the way, as he tallied snaps on both offense and defense. Aside from the former Colorado Buffalo, seventh-round selection LeQuint Allen had a meaningful role on offense. In fact, he has had more offensive snaps (142) than fellow rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten (132).
Sure, seventh-round pick Jonah Monheim made a couple starts at center but returned to the sidelines once incumbent Robert Hainsey got healthy. Similarly, fifth-round pick Rayuan Lane has carved a niche on special teams, but you cannot really call him a game-altering talent.
For their part, fourth-round pick Jack Kiser hasn't done anything of note, while sixth-round selection Jalen McLeod landed on Injured Reserve in August and hasn't returned. When you add it all up, the Jaguars have gotten minimal production from their rookie class. Of course, context is necessary.
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The Jaguars lost Caleb Ransaw to a leg injury, and Wyatt Milum has dealt with a knee injury
The team's brass placed Caleb Ransaw on injured reserve before the regular season, so his rookie campaign came to an end before it even began. On the other hand, offensive guard Wyatt Milum sustained a knee injury that sidelined him for a good chunk of the year. And even though he's back in the fold, he hasn't managed to get snaps.
But as unfortunate as injuries are, availability is the most important ability. You can be the most talented player on earth, but if you aren't healthy enough, it doesn't account for much. Granted, there's an element of randomness to injuries, and the Jaguars didn't expect any of their rookies to get hurt, but that's what ended up happening, and that ultimately led the Jaguars to lean on players that might have otherwise not gotten much playing time.
For instance, the plan was for Ransaw to start next to Eric Murray, but after his injury, the solid but unspectacular Andrew Wingard ended up getting the nod. In Hunter's case, the Jags signed wide receiver Austin Trammell to the active roster after placing the two-way star on Injured Reserve.
Now, there are other more concerning reasons the Jaguars are 5-3 heading into Week 11, but the fact that their 2025 draft class has had a minimal impact has most definitely played a role in their record.