Nobody will deny that two-way star Travis Hunter is a heck of a player. In fact, his draft stock is soaring after a handful of impressive outings. Having said that, he's not the only option the Jacksonville Jaguars will have if they secure a top-5 pick. Moreover, an NFL analyst argues that the Colorado standout may not be that good of a player.
Chad Forbes of NFL Bites made an appearance on 1010 XL and said that Hunter is a good not great player, pointing out that the Heisman Trophy candidate has regressed as a corner and could be a WR2 rather than a bonafide No. 1.
"A little overrated... Perhaps, maybe, yeah, I think that he's regressed," Forbes said when asked if Hunter will play cornerback in the NFL. "He's not the wide receiver that everyone's made of me. Okay, this isn't like AJ Green and Julio Jones coming into the NFL where you look at him and say, Okay, I can see that guy being a bona fide number one wide receiver."
Forbes continued, "I look at Travis Hunter, you might have to play him a lot in the slot, right? And I don't love slot-only wide receivers. That's why I was a big believer in Brian Thomas Jr. The wide receiver from Arizona. I think it's really close between him and Travis Hunter at this point."
For context, Tetairoa McMillan is the Arizona receiver Forbes is talking about. He'll routinely pop up first or second-best prospect at the position, behind Hunter, in several big boards.
So what should the Jaguars do if they skip Hunter? Forbes believes the draft will be loaded with defensive-line talent and edge rushers.
"And some of these defensive linemen, you watch them play, it's not just Mason Graham, it's also the four or five edges in this class. People have them going 10 to 20. Those guys can really move their way up with a sport and their peers. But I'm not as high on Travis Hunter," Forbes said.
"It's like it's a new thing, so we're really excited about it. And I kind of compared to, like, what we've seen with Shohei Ohtani in baseball, where everybody's just so excited about this new concept. But really, if he's just your nickel corner on your slot receiver, what's the value?"
For the sake of clarity, Forbes wrongly said after the 2021 NFL Draft that Trevor Lawrence lacked marketing power and wouldn't have as many sponsors as Zack Wilson. That was a bad take at the time and looks even worse now.
Saw on Friday presumptive #Jets QB Zach Wilson doing a @ChipotleTweets advertisement on social media. Unless he’s the next Mahomes? Trevor Lawrence will be marketing the local Jacksonville Ford Dealer. Meanwhile, Wilson will have 7 figure endorsements by July.
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) April 17, 2021
In his defense, Forbes isn't saying Hunter isn't a slouch. Having him grouped with McMillan shows that he thinks he'll go high in the draft. Here's his exchange on 1010 XL.
"(Travis Hunter) is not the WR everyone is making him out to be." 😳
— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) November 14, 2024
NFL Draft expert @NFLDraftBites joined @RyanGreen1010XL and poured cold water on the #Jaguars potential first round pick.#Jaguars | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/DYrAXBD73F
The Jaguars could draft Travis Hunter (but probably not at No. 1)
The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft heading into Week 11. Things are always fluid, but it looks like, at worst, they're going to end up with a top-5 selection.
For the sake of the argument, let's say the Jags clinch the No. 4 or No. 5 pick. If that's the case, taking Travis Hunter wouldn't be controversial at all. But if they end up with the top choice, they might consider trading down and garnering additional picks. Teams in need of quarterback help would certainly be willing trading partners.
Simply put, it's not a question of talent but rather value when it comes to Travis Hunter. It wouldn't make sense for the Jags to select a WR2 or a cornerback at No. 1. That said, trading down and landing him would be a reasonable course of action.