Jaguars, Browns Reportedly Agreed to Travis Hunter Trade Framework Weeks Before Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns reportedly had the framework of their trade involving the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft in place for quite some time before it became official Thursday night.

According to Michael Silver of The Athletic, Jags general manager James Gladstone and Browns GM Andrew Berry hammered out the deal on April 7, but it included two contingencies.

Firstly, the trade could only be finalized if the Tennessee Titans or another team took Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick. Had Ward fallen to No. 2, the Browns reportedly would have kept the pick and taken him.

Secondly, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Jaguars owner Shad Khan had to sign off on the trade as well.

Once the Titans took Ward and the Browns were on the clock, the trade was officially announced with Jacksonville sending the No. 5, No. 36 and No. 126 picks in the 2025 NFL draft and a 2026 first-round pick to Cleveland for the Nos. 2, 104 and 200 overall picks in the 2025 draft.

The Jaguars went on to use the No. 2 overall pick on Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy last season.

If the Jags allow Hunter to play on both sides of the ball in the NFL, taking him essentially landed them a starting-caliber wideout and corner at the same time.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen told reporters Thursday night that Hunter will play "primarily" on offense to start while he learns the defense and prepares himself to be a factor on that side of the ball as well:

If nothing else, Hunter gives quarterback Trevor Lawrence a second big-time weapon in the passing game to go along with 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr.

The Browns may have passed on a superstar player by trading down, but given that they won only three games last season, accumulating additional picks this season and next made sense from their perspective.

They still managed to land the best interior defensive lineman in the draft at No. 5 overall in Michigan's Mason Graham, and with their own first-round pick and the Jags' first-round pick next year, they have two shots at potentially getting their franchise quarterback in 2026.