AFC Notes: Samson Ebukam, Travis Hunter, Travis Etienne, Colts, Jaguars

Colts

Colts DE Samson Ebukam recalls when he tore his Achilles during the third day of training camp in 2024. He is currently hoping to be cleared for training camp in 2025, shortly after turning 30 years old.

“I didn’t know right away, but I had a feeling,” Ebukam said, via the team website. “I just kind of calmed myself down. That was the only time I’ve ever been in shock. I just calmed myself down a little and I said there’s a reason for this. I just trusted God in the process and made sure my faith was at the center in that moment and it’s been in the center ever since. The toughest day was early on when I could barely move anything. That was the only thing. I just wanted to be able to move and walk and be on the sidelines. The toughest days were the days I wasn’t able to be on the field.”

“I knew myself that I was making progress but I wanted people to know too,” Ebukam added. “I thought about not posting anything and showing up, but I was like, why not use this opportunity to motivate people because I’m not the only one that’s had a torn Achilles. Why not use this opportunity, use my platform to motivate people that’s going through pain or some type of injury.”

Jaguars

• The Jaguars traded up to No. 2 to take Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, people around the league believed Jacksonville could’ve taken WR Tetairoa McMillan if they stayed put at No. 5 overall. 
• Fowler reports that some within the organization are still concerned about their lack of talent for their interior defensive line. 
• Fowler has also heard from people around the league that the Jaguars are not sold on RBs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby, meaning fourth-round RB Bhayshul Tuten could make an impact in 2025. 
• Veteran DE Emmanuel Ogbah signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Jaguars that includes $2 million guaranteed. (OTC)
• Neil Stratton reports former Rams national scout Brian Hill is joining the Jaguars as the Director of College Scouting.
• One executive was surprised Jacksonville GM James Gladstone did the opposite of what the analytics would suggest despite being the youngest GM in the league: “The Jags have a young GM who, by all accounts, would be more analytically inclined in his decision-making, in an organization that you think holds analytics in high regard. and what do they do? They do the opposite of the analytical decision by trading up to select a non-quarterback.” (Mike Sando)

Jaguars

Jaguars GM James Gladstone said rookie LB Jalen McLeod will compete with LB Devin Lloyd at the “buck” linebacker position.

“His competitiveness, his play demeanor, his urgency, is phenomenal,” Gladstone said of McLeod.

Gladstone placed an emphasis on building up the team’s offensive line, which he said needed more depth as the unit wore down as the season went on last year.

“I can point back to just the importance of the offensive line,” Gladstone said, via the team’s website. “When you go through attrition that you typically do throughout the course of a season, it can be debilitating if it ends up striking at that spot. That’s just something that I don’t want to sacrifice or put ourselves in jeopardy for, and it’s going to be a spot that we’ll always look to pour more resources into.” Gladstone added of the line, “It’s a great group, and I look forward to seeing those guys begin to form some version of cohesiveness because it’s often more than any one individual in particular at that position. I think finding the best five that work in tandem is going to be a fun thing here over the course of the offseason and into the regular season.”