NFL Expert Praises Jaguars' Offseason-Defining Trade

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a bold trade with the Cleveland Browns to move up to the No. 2 pick in the draft and select Travis Hunter. Pamela Maldonado of ESPN listed the Jaguars' addition of Hunter as her favorite pick in the draft.

"Wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter to the Jaguars (No. 2): This trade up was bold and exactly what this team needed. Hunter is a unicorn with his ability to be a shutdown corner and playmaker. His infectious energy could reinvigorate Jacksonville's entire locker room," Maldonado said.

According to the Draft Network, Hunter "has an elite ceiling as a primary zone cornerback. He has great instincts, football IQ, and vision to read and diagnose route concepts. He has a quick trigger to click and close on routes breaking in front of him. He has excellent ball skills to generate turnovers—he is a coverage playmaker. Hunter’s ability to play the halfway point of Hi-Lo reads is special. This is why he excels at baiting QBs to test vulnerable windows. He has a smooth backpedal to pair with his excellent change of direction skills, making it difficult to work past him with deep zone responsibilities. 

"Hunter’s situational awareness is one of his best traits. He understands offensive formations and what routes can potentially manifest post-snap, especially in the red zone. He works press-bail well by quickly jamming his receiver before dropping to his landmarks and will hinge toward threatening routes entering his zone."

As talented as Hunter is, the Draft Network noted a few areas he can improve in as he transitions to the NFL. He is considered one of the most talented players to enter the league in some time, so his transition will be closely monitored.

"One of Hunter’s biggest concerns is his lack of weight and body mass. He is a thin-framed CB who can struggle in press-man situations against bigger receivers. Into the route, he can be boxed out of position on inside-breaking routes where the receiver can use their body to shield him from the football—limiting his chances of playing through the pocket and forcing a PBU. Adding some weight and muscle mass can help negate this issue," the Draft Network said.

"Hunter also needs to improve the consistency in his technique in press situations. In most of Hunter's reps, he chooses a hard inside or outside leverage and plays something similar to a bail technique in zone. Hunter has some growth to make in press alignment to become more consistent and lose early in reps. He can be too anxious and aggressive in the contact window allowing receivers the opportunity to counter his punches.