Jags trade up for Hunter, who can 'alter the sport'

The Jaguars traded up to acquire the No. 2 pick Thursday and selected wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter, a player Jacksonville believes will change the direction of the franchise and potentially the sport.

The Browns moved down three spots with the trade. Cleveland received the No. 5 pick, a second-round pick (No. 36), a fourth-round selection (No. 126) and a 2026 first-round pick from the Jaguars, who received the No. 2 pick, a fourth-round choice (No. 104) and a sixth-round selection (No. 200), sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

With the No. 5 selection, the Browns selected Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.

Moving up three spots in his first draft with the team is a bold move for first-time general manager James Gladstone. He said earlier in April that his first draft pick with the franchise would set the tone for his tenure. Gladstone believes moving up to acquire Hunter could potentially change the direction of a franchise that hasn't made back-to-back playoff appearances since 1996 to 1999.

"There are players that you can target and acquire who alter the trajectory of a game. There are players that you can target and acquire that alter the trajectory of a football team," Gladstone said on the team's draft show on YouTube moments after making the pick. "There are very few, and it's rare to be able to target and prioritize a player who can alter the sport itself. And Travis is somebody that we view has the potential to do that.

"Obviously, there's a lot for him to learn as he steps into the NFL, but we view him through the lens of unique and it's exciting for us to be able to add someone to this organization who by being nothing more than who he is, elevates the space around him. And I am excited about the opportunity to be able to put those words now to action and have our fan base and supporters see what I meant by those lines of thought."

Altering the sport is high praise, but Hunter seemed unfazed by that comment.

"There's no pressure for me," Hunter said. "I just have to go out there and do my job, be Travis Hunter. They did everything they could to come get me. Now, I've got to do everything I could to help win and help the organization."

Hunter added that he spoke for a few moments with Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile shortly after he was selected.

"I was excited to hear both of them on the phone, so I know they believe in me, and they believed that I can do it [play both ways]," Hunter said.

Hunter, who played 1,481 snaps and averaged 113.9 yards per game in 2024, said he's eager to have the same kind of workload with the Jaguars. Gladstone said the plan is to start Hunter on offense and work him in on defense as he grows more comfortable.

Discussions between the Browns and Jaguars about a potential trade began two weeks ago and a framework of an agreement was in place shortly after.

"We had a pretty good idea for probably the last couple of weeks that this was going to likely come to fruition," Gladstone said. "Obviously, you never know until it actually does in fact take place, but we're certainly happy that it did."

Browns general manager Andrew Berry said the opportunity to add a first-round pick in 2026 was a key part of the deal.

"We just felt like it was a fantastic opportunity for our organization to move down three spots, still getting a top-notch prospect in the trenches, adding a pick in what we view is really the sweet spot for this year's draft class and then adding a first-round pick in a class that quite frankly we think will be a bit stronger in the first 30 picks," Berry said. "So, we just felt like both in the short term and over a multiyear time horizon, it was a fit for what we wanted to do with the roster."

This past season, Hunter became the second full-time defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy and the fifth wide receiver to win the award. Hunter's 15 touchdown catches were tied for second most in the FBS, and his four interceptions were tied for third most in the Big 12. His 1,481 snaps in 2024 were nearly 300 more than any player in the FBS.

A three-year player in college, Hunter began his career at FCS Jackson State in the 2022 season before following coach Deion Sanders to Colorado, where he played the past two seasons.

In Cleveland, Graham joins a defensive front that is headlined by 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Cleveland this offseason released starting defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson but signed Maliek Collins. Mike Hall, a 2024 second-round pick, is rehabbing a significant knee injury that is expected to sideline him until training camp.

ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.