“I’m just super excited, you know, I get to go back home, but it’s also somewhere I want to play,” said Jacksonville Jaguars’ new dual-threat weapon Travis Hunter after going No. 2 overall. And just like that, the Heisman buzz quickly faded, replaced by the roar of the draft, where he reigned supreme as the first pick. Hunter isn’t just a player; he’s a force of nature. After a dismal 4-13 season, the Jaguars landed a game-changer, a dynamic player poised to electrify their defense. But this newfound success comes with intense scrutiny. As GM James Gladstone becomes a part of Warren Sapp’s daughter, classic sarcasm. Whose subtle jabs pack a powerful punch.

But what’s Mercedes Sapp’s demand from James Gladson? The man already pulled off a draft-day heist. In his NFL general manager debut, Gladstone masterfully orchestrated a draft-day coup. He convinced the Browns to trade their No. 2 overall pick, along with picks 104 and 200, for Jacksonville’s No. 5 pick, pick 36, pick 126, and next year’s first-rounder. This savvy move allowed Gladstone to draft Travis Hunter, a Heisman-winning two-way star from Colorado. Despite landing such a major talent, Mercedes Sapp still finds one flaw in the entire thing.

So, what’s the team behind it? Well, the Jaguars’ official IG page posted Travis Hunter’s funny clip of his head moving closer to the screen wearing a Jaguars cap with a broad smile and an iconic PGA Tour audio playing in the background with a popping caption that reads, “We’re ready! We’re ready! We’re ready!” Pure goofiness. But it looks like Mercedes Sapp isn’t buying their marketing efforts. So she puts up a sarcastic IG story with the video, sending out a clear-cut message to James Gladstone that “the marketing team needs a raise.” Well, it’s a fun, lighthearted way of poking fun at Mercedes.

However, the real deal is general manager James Gladstone’s extra efforts to make it all happen. As he knew, a jump from the No. 5 pick to No. 2 won’t be a walk in the park. But Gladstone made sure he did everything in his power to make it happen. “We engaged in those conversations with the idea that, ‘Hey, this is more than likely going to be a stretch,” he said. “It’s probably not going to be something that we’ll be able to bring to life. Let’s just go in with that expectation so we’re not ultimately disappointed.”

They see Hunter’s two-way potential as exceptionally rare, a true franchise-changer. “He’s somebody who is deserving of a first-round draft pick as a wide receiver, and he is worthy of a first-round draft pick as a corner,” Gladstone said. “Certainly look forward to each of those elements showing themselves over the next few years while he’s under his rookie contract. But yeah, we’re excited about just getting him in the boat, so to speak.”

Look, Travis Hunter’s arrival marks a strategic shift for Jacksonville, embracing boldness and firepower over cautious fits. Gladstone emphasized this wasn’t just about adding talent; it was a statement. The Jaguars aim to dictate the game, not just participate. “You can count however many drafts you want to, and there are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself,” Gladstone said, justifying their aggressive draft-day move.

But was this the right move?

Is drafting two-way Travis Hunter No. 2 overall a smart move?

Well, getting Travis Hunter significantly boosts Jacksonville’s offense, giving Trevor Lawrence a second top-tier target alongside 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. If both players remain healthy and adapt to Liam Coen’s system, the Jaguars’ passing attack could revive its late-90s dominance. But how? The Jaguars’ 2021 top pick, Lawrence, gets another elite playmaker in Brian Thomas Jr., their 2024 first-rounder, bolstering their offense.

However, defense isn’t neglected; they’ll gradually integrate Hunter into a two-way role, starting with more offensive snaps. Defensively, he’ll likely partner with Tyson Campbell, boosting the secondary’s athleticism. While Hunter won’t play every defensive snap, his usage will be intriguing. Concerns about the physical toll of playing both ways are acknowledged, but the coaching staff assures they’re working with the training, nutrition, and equipment staff to manage his workload.

While adding Hunter might not guarantee the Jaguars surpass the Texans in the AFC South, it certainly intensifies the competition. If Lawrence regains his form and the offense thrives under Coen, Jacksonville becomes a much more formidable threat. The roster is talented, but they haven’t yet realized their potential. The Jaguars have underperformed recently, and Coen is an unproven first-year head coach. Acquiring Hunter is a smart move if he lives up to expectations as a high-impact player on both sides of the ball, justifying the significant investment.

This team isn’t lacking talent, especially with a healthy quarterback; they just haven’t delivered results. The Jaguars have plenty of potential on paper, but it’s tough to say any single move gives them a clear advantage in a division where the Texans, two-time reigning AFC South champions, remain strong favorites. And their compassion with Travis Hunter going two-way on the field is also another factor. He even seems pretty excited about it. “They told me they were going to let me go out there and do what I do,” Hunter said. “So (the Jaguars) put me on phone with both coordinators. I’m going to just go out there and just do what I can do.”

So, if that’s the case, it will be interesting to see if going two-way will help Travis Hunter and the Jaguars in the long run or not!