Joel Klatt pencils Travis Hunter to Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 5 overall

Joel Klatt is locking in some predictions for the 2025 NFL Draft, and the FOX Sports analyst believes reigning Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter could be headed to Jacksonville.

The Jaguars will have the fifth overall selection in April, and a new offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen. During the latest episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt explained why the two-way star could be a fit for the AFC South franchise.

“Jacksonville is sitting here. They were last in the league in passing defense and takeaways last year. They only had nine takeaways in 17 games. They get the best ball-hawking cornerback in the country in Travis Hunter right here — Travis Hunter to the Jacksonville Jaguars,” Klatt predicted. “New head coach, Liam Coen, he was the [offensive coordinator] of the [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] the last couple of years. He compared Travis Hunter to Brian Thomas Jr. on the offensive side.

“Then, you’re starting to ask yourself, ‘Hold on Joel, you keep talking about him on both sides of the ball.’ That’s exactly right, I am talking about him on both sides of the ball, because I believe that Travis Hunter will play both sides in the National Football League. And I think he can. I actually don’t think it’s that hard. I really don’t. For him. Think about it from this perspective. He played over 125 snaps a game and won the Heisman Trophy, and was a dominant force on both sides of the ball in college. He played almost every snap on the offensive side.

“He doesn’t have to do that in the NFL. Primarily, because I don’t believe he is a true No. 1 wide receiver, or really even a No. 2 wide receiver in the National Football League. His size, stature and quickness, more importantly, I think lend him to being more of a slot player. Get his hands on the ball in creative ways, which means that his snaps get limited from, let’s say 60 to 35, just based on game situations and personnel grouping.”

While Klatt believes Hunter’s skills will best transfer to the NFL as a defensive back, the FOX Sports analyst continued to elaborate on why the two-way star could succeed at wide receiver as well, thinking Coen and company can get the most out of the former Colorado star on both sides of the football.

“Hunter’s snaps will be limited offensively, just because of his role, which means he can be the starting cornerback and play the whole game on defense, and then be a No. 3 wide receiver on the offensive side. If you’re Jacksonville, you’re getting two players in one,” Klatt added. “I think that he can grab 40 to 50 catches in the National Football League, maybe 30 to 40 catches, while being a true shut-down corner.

“His instincts on the defensive side are rare. I think his value is greater as a corner. He has the potential to be a top two, three corner in the National Football League, whereas he can be a very good No. 3 wide receiver. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a top two, three, four wide receiver in the National Football League, mostly based on physical stature.

“But if you can tell me you’re going to give me an elite corner and a guy that’s going to certainly help on the offensive side, I’m going to take that. So, the Jaguars get Travis Hunter right there at No. 5.”

All told, whichever team drafts Travis Hunter will be receiving one of the more unique players in recent memory. Whether Jacksonville is the place that can get the most out of him remains to be seen, but the Jaguars at No. 5 would be a fascinating fit for the two-way star.