Jacksonville Jaguars new general manager James Gladstone wasn’t afraid to make headlines in his first NFL Draft as an NFL GM, trading up with the Cleveland Browns to select dual-threat prospect Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick. And on Friday, Gladstone couldn’t have been more excited to introduce Hunter to the Jaguars fanbase.
One major storyline entering the 2025 NFL Draft was whether whatever team that ultimately ended up selecting Hunter would potentially want him to focus on one side of the ball full-time.
Gladstone seemingly showed his hand when it came to his plan for Hunter while addressing reporters during Hunter’s introductory presser on Friday, getting philosophical when breaking down that his decision to trade up for Hunter served as a reminder that “boundaries were built to be challenged”.
“As we sit here, Travis Hunter is Jacksonville Jaguar,” said Gladstone. “And really what comes to mind for me, right, thinking about the sport of football. And the power of the game itself. It is capacity to ignite belief. Belief in ourselves, belief in others, belief in achieving what many deem as impossible. Travis Hunter, he embodies belief. He is a rare person. He is a rare player. But he is also a reminder that the boundaries of the game of football were built to be challenged. And so the decision to select him was actually a statement. A statement for how we plan to move, who were are.
“And we want him to be nothing more than him. Because when he is, he elevates the space around him. From the football field, to the city, to the game of football itself. Travis Hunter is who we have been hunting up. Couldn’t be more jacked to be sitting right here beside him and to introduce you to the man of the hour.”
Typically, general managers like to keep it short and sweet before allowing their top draft pick to formally introduce themselves to the fanbase. But Gladstone was clearly extremely excited that he was able to pull off this big move to bring in Hunter.
It sounds as if Gladstone plucked this speech straight from an inspirational sports movie by speaking to the deeper meaning behind the game of football.
And naturally, media members and fans alike had plenty to say about Gladstone’s Oscar-worthy speech.
“Was there a teleprompter in the room? Was this memorized by James Gladstone? This is a Tom Hanks/Denzel Washington delivery,” wrote NFL insider James Palmer in a post on X.
“Is James Gladstone the coolest person ever? He is, right?” wrote Nick Kostos, the host of the You Better You Bet podcast.
“James Gladstone is incredibly impressive. Jaguars future is bright,” wrote former NFL quarterback turned FS1 NFL analyst Chase Daniel.
In return for trading the No. 2 overall pick, the Browns received the No. 5 overall pick, the No. 36 overall pick, the No. 126 overall pick, and the Jaguars’ first-round pick next year.
So while bringing in a player like Hunter is obviously a huge boost to both the offense and defense in Jacksonville, Gladstone’s decision to trade up for him was undoubtedly a risky one based solely on what he gave up in the trade.
Regardless, Gladstone sure seems to be confident that bringing in Hunter will be worth the hefty cost.