The Heisman Trophy winner is headed to Jacksonville
Travis Hunter didn’t have to wait very long to hear his name called in Green Bay on Thursday night, as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell just took to the stage to announce that the Colorado superstar and Heisman Trophy winner was picked second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hunter was nearly unanimously mocked to at #2, but this pick wasn’t without its fair share of drama. The Cleveland Browns were the original owners of the second overall pick, but opted to trade back with Jacksonville. To get Hunter, Jacksonville gave up their 2026 first-round pick, along with multiple pick swaps, including their #5 overall pick tonight.
A Colorado player hasn’t been picked in the first round since Nate Solder and Jimmy Smith in 2011, but Hunter has broken that curse. After being picked second overall, Hunter becomes the seventh Buff to be selected within the top ten of the NFL Draft and is tied with FB Bo Matthews (1974) as the highest draft pick ever from a CU player.
The Jaguars, led by first-year head coach Liam Coen, opted to go for the best player available and a generational talent at both wide receiver and cornerback. Jacksonville is a better landing spot for Hunter, as he goes to a team that already has their franchise quarterback locked down in Trevor Lawrence. Owner Shahid Khan is also notoriously player-friendly, so expect him to play both cornerback and receiver for Jacksonville. The kid from West Palm Beach, Florida, is headed home!
Hunter is the first player off the board for Colorado, but he certainly won’t be the last. Shedeur Sanders could hear his name called legitimately any moment now, and we’ll keep you updated here as soon as that happens.
Congrats, Travis! We’ll miss watching you play at Folsom Field, but we know you’ll kick ass in the NFL. Buffs Nation will be cheering you on every Sunday!