Best AFC 2025 NFL Draft picks
USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon breaks down which teams in the AFC drafted the best this year.
Sports Seriously
Two positions, two opportunities.
Travis Hunter is looking to change the game and give the Jacksonville Jaguars two players for the price of one. NFL rosters max out at 53 players, but this season, the Jaguars will essentially deploy 54 thanks to the addition of Hunter.
Playing the role of wide receiver and cornerback, the appropriately named rookie has the chance to be the hunter and the hunted by playing both sides of the ball in 2025.
That also means he has the chance to take home a little more hardware for double the work. The Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to secure Hunter’s services, swinging a deal with the Cleveland Browns to make it happen.
The Jaguars feel like they got a rare talent. The betting odds seem to back that up. Here’s a look at Hunter’s odds to win NFL Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025.
Travis Hunter Rookie of the Year odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: +550Defensive Rookie of the Year: +750
Football is a demanding sport that doesn’t typically produce two-way talent. Not full-time, two-way talent, at least. Hunter is eager to buck that trend after making the leap to the pros.
Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said the team plans to play Hunter at both positions, but will start onboarding him at receiver before adding in the cornerback side of things.
“His intent is on playing both sides of the ball, as is ours,” Gladstone told ESPN. “When it comes to his onboarding process we’ll give him a heavy dose of offense, and sprinkle in the defensive side of the ball, knowing that by the time we get to the regular season, those should be balanced out. But that’s the initial onboarding plan as it stands today.”
Hunter has been considered more of a natural cornerback throughout the draft process, but the betting value here lies with the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The defensive side of the ball is loaded with prime talent like Abdul Carter, in addition to players such as Mykel Williams, and Mike Green, who find themselves in ideal situations on teams that are likely going to be featured plenty throughout the season.
After all, awards are narrative driven and Jacksonville doesn’t necessarily offer the best exposure in comparison to the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers or Baltimore Ravens.
Hunter also faces challenges on offense with Ashton Jeanty and Cam Ward, but the Jaguars’ need at receiver makes his impact much more likely there.
While his two-way talent is fascinating to watch and even better for the rookie’s future bank account balance, that status could hurt him more than anything in the mind of voters.
Those voters could end up splitting tickets and that would be a surefire way to make us start shredding ours.
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