On a team with a star cornerback and wide receiver already on the roster, the New York Jets might get an opportunity to get one of the best all-around players at both positions in the 2025 NFL draft.
In their latest mock draft on NFL.com, Mike Band predicted that the Jets would trade up to the fifth overall pick and take reigning Heisman Trophy winner and two-way star out of Colorado, Travis Hunter.
“In his first draft as a primary decision-maker, new Jets GM Darren Mougey channels the aggressive strategy modeled for him by former boss George Paton, trading up to leapfrog the Raiders for Hunter,” Band wrote. “Embracing the recent pick-stocking philosophy of his former boss, Rams GM Les Snead, new Jaguars GM James Gladstone gladly accepts a third-round choice in this hypothetical.
“The Jets need help opposite Garrett Wilson at receiver and Sauce Gardner at cornerback, making New York an ideal spot for Hunter to showcase his rare two-way talent. It would be fitting for former Jets corner/current head coach Aaron Glenn to select a ball-hawking playmaker with his first pick on the job.”
Hunter played both ways for the Buffaloes last season and caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added four interceptions and 11 passes defended on defense – running away with the Heisman Trophy.
Draft-day trades are not uncommon, but would all the Jets need to part with is a third-rounder to move up to No. 5?
Analysis of Possible Jets Trade-Up
It’s always important to remember that with any potential trade-up, a deal of equal value isn’t always the be-all-end-all. What may seem like a fair trade of valued selections may not be the mindset of other organizations.
Case in point, this potential trade-up for Hunter.
According to drafttek.com – a site that is dedicated to providing select draft picks as a numerical value system – the Jets’ seventh overall pick this year is valued at 1,500 points. The Jaguars’ fifth overall pick is valued at 1,700 points.
New York’s third-round pick is currently valued at 225 points.
Based on those numbers, the Jets would be giving Jacksonville a bit more value by adding a third-round selection.
Would the selection of Hunter be a no-brainer for Gang Green? Of course. When blue-chip talents are available to a team, they should never think of passing them up to secure a need elsewhere along the roster.
But would Jacksonville be willing to part with those rights to said blue-chip talent just to pick up an extra third?
Probably not.
The Jaguars are a few years removed from reaching the Divisional Round of the playoffs and are still in the middle of paying quarterback Trevor Lawrence an average annual salary of $55 million.
In their eyes, Lawrence is Jacksonville’s franchise quarterback. When a team has a top quarterback who is being paid a lot of money, surrounding them with quality talent is always the main focus. It is even more so in a new regime led by Liam Coen and James Gladstone.
Trading up for a player like Hunter would be a no-brainer for the Jets, as it would be for other teams around the league, including the Jaguars.
A third-round pick won’t be enough for a can’t-miss prospect.
