James Gladstone joked that while he and Andrew Berry were working most of April on the blockbuster trade that would launch Travis Hunter’s NFL career in Jacksonville, no one knew Gladstone’s phone number. No one said a word.
Not any more. Hunter is arguably the NFL’s most exciting storyline. And like Siamese twins, Gladstone’s legacy is tied to Hunter’s career. Two weeks into the rookie’s first training camp, the new Jacksonville GM had an interesting answer on Wednesday with respect to Hunter’s development.
“The game of football is so great because it requires all 11,” Gladstone told Tom Pelissero and Marc Ross Wednesday on Inside Training Camp Live, “and in his case, the 12th, right?
He's got it on his jersey.”
He’s got two jerseys, actually. His teal No. 12 is reserved for offense. The other No. 12 is a white defensive jersey. And on days like Wednesday, the Jaguars’ equipment staff had some extra laundry.
“I look forward to seeing really our plan of attack come to life here over the course of the remaining weeks in training camp and into the early portion of the season,” Gladstone added.
“Yesterday was the first day that he got a chance to do both sides of the ball in one single practice. He's doing it again today. So, we'll see how that comes to life and really how it shows itself on the grass.”
When it shows itself on grass, keep an eye on Hunter’s hands. One of the reasons he’s a self-described unicorn is the fact that he doesn’t wear gloves in practice. He also didn’t wear gloves during the pre-draft process, including Colorado’s pro day.
I’m a weirdo, but I think it’s a huge deal that Travis Hunter didn’t catch with gloves at pro day without. Showed how sticky his hands are. No better tracker of the ball, or ball skills in this draft…
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) April 5, 2025
Which is why DB should be his primary position!
Bet you didn’t think it…
He hasn’t said whether he’ll wear gloves in games. Regardless, Gladstone like everyone in the Jaguars organization has seen an unmatched work ethic from their investment.
“Certainly appreciate the amount of time that he's put into giving himself the opportunity to see this take shape,” Gladstone said. “Our coaching staff, who has given a lot of thought and energy into putting a plan into practice, and then the support staff, our performance group, our equipment group, requires a lot of energy to make sure that that all can be done seamlessly and effectively. And then the other players around him.
“He's building trust with his teammates, and they're embracing him on a really solid level, and, and certainly look forward to getting into some real action here as we inch closer and closer to the games.”
Breaking news from Jags camp is available 24/7 on X (Twitter) by following @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley . And, share your feedback on Trevor Lawrence’s potential in the Liam Coen offense by visiting our Facebook page, here.
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