April 29, 2025 • 35 mins
Kainani Stevens, John Oehser and Brian Sexton break down the Jaguars' Draft Class after the Jaguars acquired nine new players through the 2025 NFL Draft last weekend. The crew analyzes James Gladstone's staff's approach and hands out some draft grades. They also go around the table and name some players to keep an eye on.
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Speaker 1 (00:18):
Jacksonville, Jack Lars and like t Travis Hunter, roar receiver defensive.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Back in Colorados, the boldest of bold moves to kick
off the draft and the James Gladstone era here in Jacksonville.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Welcome.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
I'm Cannannie Stevens to Jagsam this morning. Brian Sexton, John
Osier with me. As we have a lot to discuss.
We were here all weekend for the draft and a
lot of new faces coming to toat We'll start off
with big things. Bold moves got as bold as you're
going to get Brian off the b We knew they
weren't going to be scared to do it, but trading
up to get Travis Hunter the boldest move in franchise history.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I think fair to say.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Without a doubt. Look, I've done this for thirty one years, right,
that was my thirty first NFL Draft. I've never seen
a player be the best player at wide receiver, best
player at corner, and the best overall player. It's the
triple crown, except I've never even seen a triple before.
I mean, I've seen the best quarterback and the best
player in the draft. Right, It's just the Jaguars were
sitting at five in a unique year where both the
(01:23):
top team and the number two team didn't want the
best player in the draft, why not swing for it
and get a guy that you believe can be a
Hall of Famer. You gotta take moves like that. They
found a way to get it done. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 6 (01:37):
Look, it's a tone setting move.
Speaker 7 (01:40):
It's a risky move because you're giving up so much
capital to go get it, but it's also a move
where everybody's on board, and I think what it shows
more than anything they've been talking since they got here,
meaning Tony vassellly, Liam Cohen, and James Gladstone about being
aligned and since the draft talking to different people. This
(02:03):
really did take alignment, meaning you had to make sure strength, staff,
assistant coaches, whatever, knows what.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
The plan is going to be for this guy.
Speaker 7 (02:11):
And everybody's on board, and everybody's willing to be that
team that sort of puts itself out there to go
do this. So New eraon douvall Right.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Well and listen, that's what everyone wanted, right. I Mean,
I'm assuming that most people who are watching this are
on board with this move. But if you were not,
you wanted something different. The previous general manager probably doesn't
make this move. He doesn't like to give up picks.
You wanted something different, man, You got something different, and
you got it in spades. You got a guy who
(02:41):
was willing to take the boldest of moves, as Kay
said right off the top, in one of the boldest moves,
if not the boldest move in franchise history.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Bit of a one to eighty, but a good one.
Let's go to big thing number two, which is two
for one. Obviously, Travis Hunter is going to play on
both sides the football. But John versatility was something they
focused on in this draft. A lot of these players
play multiple positions or have played a position in college
and they think can play a different position at the
NFL level. That was clearly an important characteristic to GM
James Gladstone.
Speaker 7 (03:09):
Yeah, I was gonna say, with the exception of the
running backs, but even the running back Tooton can return kicks.
Speaker 6 (03:16):
The offensive lineman. It's getting to the point where if.
Speaker 7 (03:19):
You're not a top five offensive lineman pick, you better
be able to sort of play a lot of positions
when you first coming in the league anyway, But yeah,
it's about versatility. McLeod the linebacker can do multiple things.
He's going to play that buck position, which is a
versatile position.
Speaker 6 (03:38):
That's what they wanted.
Speaker 7 (03:39):
And again, if you're going to set a tone for
a draft with versatility, run, it's Travis Hunter, who's versatile
as any player has been in sixty five years.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
And let me just touch on that off the top.
He's a guy who people are wondering can he do both?
And there's lots of conventional wisdom that says that in
the NFL you can't, because the density of playing just
wide receiver alone or just cornerback alone is so much
greater at the NFL level. He was so much more
gifted than most of the players that he lined up
(04:08):
against in college football. He didn't have to spend the
sort of energy intellectually and physically that he's going to
have to at the NFL level. So that's conventional wisdom.
But you're spending a little time with him on Thursday
night in Green Bay. I don't doubt his ability to
do it. I don't know that he can play the
number of snaps he played almost every snap in Colorado,
but I think he can play a significant role on
(04:30):
both sides. Of the ball, and so today, I think it's.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Going to be an evolving situation.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I'm excited to see how they utilize him and how
that progresses as the season goes along. Our final big
thing today is going to be take what's given. Now,
we know a lot of the draft is about how
the board falls and what they addressed. Jim James Gladstone
addressed taking not necessarily the need of the team, but
what's available.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
The board always fallows certain ways, and you're not going
to reach because of what might be a perceived need.
So you're always going to take the players that you
feel like are going to put the team in the
best interest moving forward, and you don't want ever sort
of lean heavily into just one idea of best player
available and needed some version of balanced dynamic that comes
(05:15):
with that.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Brian, They certainly addressed some needs on this team or
perceived needs by this new iteration in the front office
and coaching staff. But I know some people are like,
why didn't you go defensive tackle route? Why wasn't that
looked at it all? And James Wotson basically said, we
didn't see what we wanted at those points, so we'll
kind of address it at a different point.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Well, rather than the age old you know, best available
player and who doesn't need a great player wherever you're at,
and the fact that this team had a lot of holes.
What we don't know kai is what they tried to do.
We know the trades that they were able to execute
moving back and forth. We don't know who they called
to try to move up to be in a position
to take a defensive tackle, who said no, or who
(05:54):
took someone else's offer, or who wanted too much. Because
they didn't take one where they were means that they
didn't like where they were or what was there where
they were. It doesn't mean they didn't try to address
the issue at defensive tackle.
Speaker 7 (06:09):
There may be no bigger disconnect between how most people
view something in the NFL and how it really works
in the draft. I was ecstatic after the draft to
see that they didn't get an edge rusher.
Speaker 6 (06:23):
And here's why now that they don't need one.
Speaker 7 (06:26):
That's not a weakness, but it showed me that they
really do stick true to the board.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
There were edge rudgers.
Speaker 7 (06:33):
That that they like, particularly one somewhere in like the
second or third round. Is my understanding didn't get him
didn't work out. We've been around gms who automatically at
that point the next round would be saying, get me
an edge rusher, and if you do that, that's the
quickest way toward errors.
Speaker 6 (06:50):
The fact that they didn't press.
Speaker 7 (06:51):
That and then went out and got I'm gonna watch
his name on Sunday because Emmanuel Oh by, thank you.
The fact they went that route shows me that when
they say they're going to be true to a board
and true to their value strategy, that they're going to
do that, that really bodes well for the franchise. Even
(07:12):
if people may not grasp why you didn't fill a need.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Stay with us here on Jagsam. We got more on
that first round draft pick. Travis Hunter exam brought to
you by Fresh from Florida. It's always in season.
Speaker 8 (07:31):
It's capacity to ignite belief, right belief in ourselves, belief
in others, right belief in achieving what many may deem impossible.
Travis Hunter, he embodies belief right. He's a rare person,
he's a rare player, but he's also a reminder that
(07:53):
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 we are, and we want him to be
nothing more than him because when he is, he elevates
(08:15):
the space around from the football field to the city,
to the game of football itself. Travis Hunter is who
we've been hunting up.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Talk about an introduction.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
If Travis Hunter wasn't ready to run through a wall
after hearing all that and expectations for him, I think
he's pretty excited to be in Jacksonville.
Speaker 6 (08:37):
I wish James wasn't so meek.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
You know, he really is just so soft spoken, doesn't
say anything with his chest.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
You know, look.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
This, I've never really seen anything like this with James
Gladstone's willingness to sort of say here's what we're thinking.
The NFL that I've been around, Brian has always had
that thing of secretive where they would say something in
a draft room right out and say, well, we don't
want to get burned by saying this about this player.
James Gladstone has the conviction of his beliefs, the confidence
(09:09):
to move forward with it, and really there's a core
of confidence there that allows him to say things like
we think this kid's going to be a transitional player
or a transcendental player.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
I like it. I'm getting used to it.
Speaker 7 (09:24):
And the whole theme of the weekend is so obviously
this wants to be a bold franchise, and they did
that with the first pick. It's an unbelievable tone to set.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Roy.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Listen, if you ever wonder why they keep things so
secretive and quiet. Now you know, we've been told that
it was a seventeen day window that they had this
thing done. And just a little side story. I'm in
the media room at the convention center there in Green
Bay and Dylan, who is our PR representative, up there,
(09:54):
and here comes the whole team from Cleveland and they're
pr and social people and one of the guys is
carrying the football with a great, big number two in
a graffiti style on it. I mean they thought that
they were taking Travis Hunter. They were all excited about it.
I almost went over today, We'll take that from you,
because it didn't take them out at that At that time,
I knew and maybe they didn't what was happening. It
(10:17):
was just interesting to me that the Browns were the Titans.
John and the Browns passed on a player that the
Jaguars believe will not only be a Hall of Fame
caliber player over the course of his career, but will
also be a guy that can transition the game. Why
do you take anyone else?
Speaker 6 (10:33):
I get it.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
You know, they needed a quarterback in Nashville and they
think that Mason Graham fits their personality. Man, I still
can't believe the best player, the best corner, the best receiver,
the best player was not good enough or didn't fit
in Nashville or Cleveland.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
Well, and even beyond sort of how he's with the media.
Maybe when you were a kid and if you bought hystereo,
you worried if your friends would.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Like it or not?
Speaker 7 (10:56):
Right, I mean, that was the most important part of
the person, to get your car. The kids at school
have to, uh, like what I got. I get feeling
that Gladstone would probably go and buy a car and
not give a rats but what the other kids thought
of it? Because he believed it's the right thing to do.
And this pick took guts because if in two years
(11:18):
it doesn't work, it's, oh, what an idiot. But he
believes in it. The franchise believes in it. They're they're
seeing it in a unique way and then not afraid
to follow it because a lot of people in this
league would have been afraid to make that move even
if they wanted to.
Speaker 6 (11:37):
So buckle up, buckle up.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
I think it's interesting to point out we talk about
we're kind of used to that secrecy angle. Obviously, they
kept a secret for quite some time and close enough
to the best that it didn't leak out, which in
today's media is pretty crazy. But then also just being
honest about they said they were gonna make mold moves
and they have made bold moves, and I don't think
we're necessarily used to hearing that around here and then
the follow through and very much intentionally saying how they're
(12:03):
going to act and operate and then doing that exact
same thing.
Speaker 5 (12:06):
So it's a new generation. I've said it before. I
call them the hedge Fund group, right. I mean, they're young,
they're data driven, they're aggressive. They're willing ki to take
conventional wisdom and set it aside for a move that
the data and their aggressive posture says works. You know
for guys like us who've seen conventional been around conventional
and you too hopes in conventional football thinking it's I
(12:29):
want to say it's radical, but it's very different. It's
not hard to get used to. It's not hard to
get used to something that says we're going in a
different direction from a four and thirteen football team, right
from one that what if they wont they're five and
seventeen in their last twenty three regular season games. Yeah,
let's go. And let's not just go John, let's go
all in with both feet into.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
The deep end. Yeah. And something that I think.
Speaker 7 (12:55):
Since we've met James Gladstone on this set and been
around them a little bit. I'm not gonna say where
hanging out at the beach, but we have gotten a
fuel for him. I think if you watch him on TV.
I got this text with somebody in the media send
I wish he just didn't talk like a cult leader, right,
you know, but but he has a unique way of
(13:16):
speaking that I don't necessarily know translates into who he
really is.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
I had somebody yesterday tell me, well, this is a
football guy.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Now, he played football and he's competitive, and so I
don't know if that part necessarily gets through and you're
watching him, but the football people in the BI I mean,
this guy was born to be a GM and you
could sort of tell he's living his life and he's
been ready for this moment. The more you're around him,
(13:48):
the more you realize this is a different cat leading
the Jaguars and it's gonna be fun to watch. And
I'd be stunned if this isn't successful.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
I don't know about next.
Speaker 7 (13:57):
Year, but under his leadership, that vision, in that organization.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
This is a different thing going on.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
And if it is, who cares what he says, it's
what he does sure.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
And I think we also have to remember at this
point of the progression, they're still trying to set that tone.
They're still trying to say exactly what the Jaguars are
going to be going forward. So yes, we hear him
a lot, and you know, repeated phrases, intangibly rich and
some other things, But a lot of that is because they.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Want to be on the same page. If you're saying
the same things.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
That's how you know that that's truly where they're all at.
Let's talk a little bit more about Travis Hunter, because
I'm having some fun with this. So from what we've
heard so far, he'll play or they're going to start
him out on offense and then kind of work him
into defense, which is a little bit different than a
lot of people had predicted. Some of the scouts and
analysis was that he would play mostly defense and then
(14:48):
minor on offense.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
But we're seeing opposite of that, which is kind of cool.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Well, maybe you heard Jeff loghim and say this. I
rely on his instincts on this. He told me that
he believed that Travis Hunter has hall of ability as
a wide receiver. In fact, he told me and our
audience I'd get a show with him that he thought
that this was a guy who was maybe the best
receiver he had ever watched on tape. He just makes
(15:11):
it look easy. His thought was that the disparity between
Travis Hunter and all the other receivers was wide at corner,
it was much more narrow. He thought he was very good,
obviously the number one overall guy, but it wasn't that
he was far and away the better corner. Now, I've
seen different opinions on that. Obviously, when you've got a
guy that plays both ways, everyone's gonna have a different opinion.
(15:33):
But I trust log him in on this one. And
I've been watching the game film and I see a
receiver that looks like I don't know, Yeah, I mean,
he could be as good as anybody that you want
in the league.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
A key is going to be.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
And this is what Bucky Brooks said on some shows
on with him. He does need to get more polished.
He's not coming out as a absolute at a top
ten Henry Eller type route runner yet.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
But.
Speaker 7 (16:03):
Is so is so scary to defenses that he's gonna
strain it.
Speaker 6 (16:09):
He will need to work.
Speaker 7 (16:11):
To polish as an NFL receiver. My understanding is it's
going to be seventy five percent offense at first, meaning
practicing and working with the offense multiple days a week
and then learning maybe defensive packages to be on the
field when the other team is in passing situations, something
(16:32):
along the that's not exact.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
That's the vibe that I get from listening to press conferences.
They will figure out a way to make work.
Speaker 7 (16:40):
The one thing I did here yesterday was, look, it's
gonna be full time offense, working toward defense first year.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
But this kid wants to be on.
Speaker 7 (16:50):
The field every play. They're gonna have to hold him
back from doing that. And there's no reason in the
future if he shows he can do it.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
They'll let him do it.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Can you imagine those strategically Again, probably not this year,
but at some point in his career where you just
pop him in and he starts right. You're playing the
Minnesota Vikings and Henry Ellard and you're trying to get
ready and you don't know that here comes Travis Hunter
and he's going to start at corner. You game planned
because you think you're going to see Monteric Brown and
instead you're getting Travis Hunter. I mean strategically, you can
(17:17):
do some things with him that we've never seen done before.
That alone is a transition in the game, changing the game,
which is what Gladstone said he could do.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
And the one overwhelming thing they said is people who've
played football and understand what it takes physically to do it,
they're blown away by even watch them in Colorado be
able to run a sixty five yard route on one play,
come off, drink a sip of water, and go out
and be playing at a high level on the next play. Now,
will that be after the massaged a bit in the
(17:51):
NFL with the physicality, maybe, but they've never seen anything
like that in college. So what will look like in
the NFL. That A's alway said what everybodys waiting to see.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
You grew up in New England. I mean, how many
times did you watch the Kenyon Runners during the Boston
Marathon run these two hour marathons and come across the line, right,
I mean you're like not even Yeah, it's sweating. There's
just there's some people on earth that can do things
physically that other people can't, and maybe he's that guy.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
And very exciting on offense.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
At Colorado, his main role was on defense and then
he was kind of going in on offense and playing
with what was given to him. So if he takes
all of his time and focuses, you know, seventy five
percent of his time and is focusing on offense and
learning routes and becoming better, he was already the best
wide receiver in college last year without that, so it's
very exciting to kind of predict.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
What that might look like on the next level.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Well, that's a lot of exciting things and we are
very excited to see Travis Hunter take the field. But
before that, we're going to talk about some of the
other picks in this draft. Coming about the break move,
the freight Move the freight Magellan Transport voted the coolest
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(19:04):
Logistics dot com.
Speaker 9 (19:07):
I honestly haven't even thought that far, you know, Like
I honestly it's really got to be a completely one
day at a time approach. Like a yeah, you're always
feeling like you're adding levels of competition and depth to
the to the roster. Is exactly what we did. We
do feel like we got, we got better and improved.
We will not have a clue until we do this
(19:27):
thing more than a week here, you know, in terms
of being on the grass, because we haven't even been
able to truly play football yet. So the focus is
so deeply rooted in the culture, the way that they're
going to play, our style of play, teaching those elements,
and now we have to go and get an entire
rookie class onboarded. I mean, that's a lot of work.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
So the focus is.
Speaker 9 (19:48):
So tight right now that probably haven't even thought that
far ahead.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
It's a good point.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
We've had a lot of changes, a lot of additions,
but they still been taking.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
The football field and playing football. Yet there's still.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Running around and the big question is for him is
the quarterback?
Speaker 6 (20:03):
Right?
Speaker 5 (20:04):
I mean, we're all excited about Travis Hunter and what
he brings, and it comes back to can Liam and
his staff unlock Travis or part of me, Trevor Lawrence's ability.
Can they get him to a position where all the
things right footwork and technique, but comfort level and understanding
and just let him go and play and be the
quarterback that we all know, or at least some of
(20:26):
us believe is still in there and let him be
his best.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Yeah, we're gonna see no matter what happens next year
is a more disciplined team with more speed on the outside.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
And I think no matter what.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
Happens with Trevor, they're gonna be able to run better
because if nothing else, they're more committed to it. When
you say something as a theme, you're gonna see that
and they believe they're gonna be able to run better.
So I think you're gonna get to that six seven win.
You know there are four last year, so I think
that gets them better. And then at that point, how
much they accelerate and how quickly how it looks the
(21:01):
big moments are going to depend on Trevor and any
franchise in the league with a quarterback with potential who's
trying to reach it is saying that exact same thing.
Speaker 6 (21:13):
That's the storyline here.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
He's gonna have all of the options now, at least
on offense. Got a new additions to the running game,
and obviously a ton of additions on the offensive line.
I think this offensive line might look completely different than
what we've been used to see.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
Yeah, and frankly, no idea how it's gonna look. I mean,
all the projections for offensive line on this team.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
If you think you know who's starting, you probably don't.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Know who starts. Well, probably know who the center is though, right,
most likely yeah, yeah, and Z from Tampa.
Speaker 7 (21:48):
There are five one would thinks on the line that
look logical. But my understanding is Mylain was brought in
for a reason. Fred Johnson was brought in for reason.
Training camp. Usually when people say, hey is open competition
and training camp in the NFL, you go yeah, right,
(22:08):
and you're right down the starters.
Speaker 6 (22:10):
It's worth watching this year.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
Take a look at some of the picks that they
actually made, because as a class, there's about nine of them.
They addressed some specific positions. Obviously two running backs. They
took a couple of linemen Wymeland we already mentioned early on,
and then some of the defensive players. Caleb Bransop played,
you know, nickel corner. They kind of project him as
being a safety for this team. And also Jack Kaiser
(22:34):
plays linebackers. Was at Notre Dame for six years, I
think it was, but I heard mentioned a couple of
different times from Gladstone and others.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
In the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
He's playing safety out there, just to help out Phil Spots.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
You know, when when I saw some of these things
come in Kai the two linebackers back to back, right,
and I know McLeod's more of an edge rusher, but
you've got Devin Lloyd and Chad Mooma, who were first
in third round picks that are in the expiring years
of their contract, right, So you see the future there.
They're moving into the future. You see Hunter and Ransaw
(23:09):
and Lane and you think, well, you know, they're moving
into the future. They're not thinking about just this year.
They are thinking about transitioning to their guys and it's
obvious those are positions where they desperately need new guys.
Speaker 7 (23:23):
Yeah, I think on the other side that buck position
we talked about. It is a little bit of a hybrid.
It's what Devin Lloyd has sort of. Coaches have been
trying to get him in a position to play, which
is sort of that, you know, base on the early
downs and then with a little bit of pass rush ability.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
That's what they think McLoud can do.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
Those two guys will be at that spot, and I
think the guy at watching their in training camp is
going to be ransaw because if there was a need
position going into the draft on this team of a safety,
third round safeties can start and I think that they
would like a lot of these rookies to win jobs,
(24:03):
but they're going to have to win jobs.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Well.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
It's notable that at the post draft news conference, Gladstone
and Cohene were both asked have you decided on the
fifth year option for Devin Lloyd? And they had not,
which I thought was telling that they were moving into
this new spot.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
I'm gonna have to earn it all, right, Brian. If
you're gonna give a letter grade for this draft class
as a whole, where would you go with it? And
who's someone you're watching specifically? Non Travis Hunter. We're all
watching Dravis Hunter.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Right, No, listen to me, this is an a because
they were willing to be bold and go get the
best player in the draft, and then you know, you
watch them work through some scenarios. John mentioned earlier they
were interested in a pass rusher. It was the kid
from Louisville who went early in the third round. And
then you saw them back up from where they were
at seventy to eighty eight and one hundred and two
and then up. They were clearly working the board and
(24:51):
had a great plan. I like mylam who is who
I am focused on, because he was one of the
best offensive linemen in the Big twelve conference and played
left tack and when you look at his laundry list
of accolades, I mean he's the player of the week
week in and week out, you know, first team all
Big Twelve. So I think this is a guy and
John just hit on it. He's moving inside to guard.
(25:12):
But from what I hear as well, I mean he's
going to be a factor in year one. This is
not a developmental guy. This is a guy that they
believe can get better by being on the field. So
I thought it was a great draft. No reason to
back off. I'll go with the A.
Speaker 7 (25:24):
Yeah, I thought it was a great draft too. I'm
giving it a B plus because I mean.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
That's basically an A from John Well.
Speaker 7 (25:31):
I want Besselia to come down and say, where'd you
give it a B plus? You know, and so I
can fight with him on it. But yeah, I didn't
want to give it an A because there is a
little bit of acknowledged risk with Travis Hunter. So I
guess I didn't give it an A because I kind
of wanted a discussion point on it.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
But I love the draft. I love the whole attitude
in it.
Speaker 7 (25:51):
I'm not good enough at knowing players to know if
if the fifth pick was a great pick or.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Not, neither of mine.
Speaker 7 (25:58):
I do know Tuton is a really player, and that's
what I'm going to talk about. He's really fast, and
I think the key that you heard in the post
draft press conference was when Liam talked about UH being
a explosive change. You know that they now were a
more explosive team. Their quick strikeability is what I'm looking
(26:20):
for that he used UH.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
He gives he changes.
Speaker 7 (26:25):
That dynamic form, Dammy Brown changes that dynamic form.
Speaker 6 (26:27):
Travis Hunter.
Speaker 7 (26:28):
Those to me are the three guys that change that dynamic.
When Liam talked so much about that in the press or,
I said, Okay, this is a guy. Uh, he's gonna
matter next year. And I want the seventh round center
to be good because I want to be able to
say Monheim steamroller.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
The phrase that I heard from from Liam was score
from long distance.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Right.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
He must have said that three times in his post
draft news conference. And that's who the kid is here
is right, Well, that's what he and Travis Hunter are
both at. And Diammy Brown appears to be that guy too,
and we saw that Brian Thomas is certainly that guy.
Now you put this kind of a threat in the
backfield guy, all of a sudden, the safeties can't be
too deep, right, they can't be looking to be over
the top on Brian all the time. So this really
(27:14):
does unlock a lot of things.
Speaker 7 (27:16):
And before you lose side of it, you know, I
think this. I think Touton changed the offensive is going
to change the offensive backfield dynamic. I don't know who
starts out of what I think they're going to play three.
I think they would love for Travis etn to be
the receiver runner combination that he's shown, but I think
(27:36):
overall the important thing about the backs if you think
if you close your eiz.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
Anything about the big plays.
Speaker 7 (27:42):
In the last couple of years, Travis has had a
bunch tank has shown he can go the distance. I
don't know that they have touton level speed right, but
they have three guys who in the right situation can
pop it. So I think that it's going to be
interesting to see how this team uses backs well.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
I think that etn too years ago he was an
eleven touchdown guy. If they can figure out a way,
can we use the term unlock to find a spot
for him in the offense where it unlocks that speed
and that I don't think you can hand off to
him and expect him to run between the tackles, but
find a way to get him in motion and get
him the ball when he's running. I think you could
have something well.
Speaker 6 (28:18):
And in the modern NFL.
Speaker 7 (28:22):
Twenty years ago, that role for a back might be
seen as oh, well, we're putting him over in this role. Well, now,
in the NFL, guys who can run and catch with
equal which I think Travis has in him, he does
can go make a lot of money. Yeah, because that's
a weapon I don't think.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
It's necessarily indictment on Travis either. He's entering the final
year of his contract. We know how running backs kind
of go in the league. And also pushing him a
little bit because, as we've seen, having that competition in
any room is going to increase your chances of being better.
He's kind of playing for a contract at this point,
whether he or elsewhere, So having that ability and pushing
him a little bit, I think for me it was
(29:00):
exciting to see this draft. We hear intangibly rich, What
does that mean? We're seeing what the intangibles are that
they value. It's speed, it's toughness.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
That ability.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
When you talk to Milum and he's just saying, you know,
I haven't allowed a sack as a starter.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I don't plan on doing that at the next level.
I'm going to protect Trevor.
Speaker 6 (29:17):
That is my goal.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
I joke with JP all the time. He sits next
to me, you know, let's talk ball, Like, let's stop
all this other stuff. But these guys actually love ball
and that's all they want to talk about.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
And you're talking.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Even when I talk to Tuton as well, he's talking
about pass pro is something he likes to focus on
as well. So having those players that want to get
down and dirty and kind of do the little things
and they want to play football at whatever cost that is,
So that changes the.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Character of your tea when you're talking about changing the culture.
Speaker 7 (29:45):
Yeah, and we've talked about Gladstone a lot, but this
is the moment that you talk about the GM Kay
you joked earlier about you know, always saying the phrases,
always saying intangibly rich. I know fans that's sort of
become a meme than it's a meme, a meme guy Brian,
but not so. But I do know there what Kay
(30:06):
said earlier is important. There's a method of that madness
of he always.
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Talks about intangibly rich.
Speaker 7 (30:11):
He always talks about having those traits in the bucket
and leaning into that during the pick. If you're gonna
have something be a franchise wide theme, which clearly this
kind of player is. You want the scouts, you want
the coaches, always talking about that in the forefront of
your mind. It's easy to talk about wanting a certain
(30:31):
kind of guy, But if you're not always thinking about it,
then it's easy when decisions get made to forget about
that key point. It's safe to say around here you
do not forget that they want that kind of player.
Speaker 6 (30:43):
And I think that's been why you heard that so much.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
And I think it's important to go back to the
top with Travis real quick on this one. He is
intangibly rich, not because he can play two positions, but
just a quick story. I was talking to him at
the play sixty event on Wednesday where they get the
players who are there with some of the local high
school kids and some special Olympians, and you know, they're
just besieged by people that want to talk to him,
and kind of at the end, I decided to go
(31:08):
and have a conversation, just a quick conversation, and I
think it was great. Well, he came into the area
after the Jaguars picked him where I was waiting to
get the first interview with him, and he pointed, he goes, hey,
did you think we'd be doing this today? Nice to
see you again. Well, listen, that might seem like a
really small thing, but at a connection that's rare. It's
a humanity and both all of Baselli, Gladstone, and Cohen
(31:29):
talked about wanting those kinds of people in the building
My first thought when he pointed and said nice to
see you again, was that's exactly who they wanted to
draft exactly. And one of the questions I asked him is,
as you come into the NFL, are you trying to
be a better corner, a better receiver?
Speaker 6 (31:42):
What do you work on?
Speaker 5 (31:42):
He goes, I want to be a better husband. Okay,
now we're talking about the quality of the individual and
what his fiance means to him. Really, I think off
the charts intangibles for Travis Hunter. We talk about off
the charts in terms of physical but off the field.
Hunter displayed that in a couple with answers and a
couple of comments that he made to me and green Bay.
Speaker 7 (32:03):
And the best part about it is he can really
play right right, All, all right, coming up, we'll tell
you what's coming up the rest of the month, and
when we can see these guys on the field too.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
Hey, how's life all good man? Anything else popping? How'd
you do? Sleeping on things? Oh?
Speaker 5 (32:46):
I'm same, just continuing to nothing has changed for me.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
It's it's it's the right motion. Let's go. Yeah, That's
what I'm talking about, Jake. That's how Tony woke.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
Up, we're gonna to draft the Hall of Famer? Would
your first do a girl pick? Hey, it works out
pretty well for the Jags and the expansion draft.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Like like your think, time will tell.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
Wet a preview of the hunt.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
We know they had that deal in place, probably well
before that, but kind of going over the specifics thirty
four hours before.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Making that move, no hesitancy there. They were definitely sold
on it from the get go.
Speaker 6 (33:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (33:33):
I think what Sead said over the weekend too, made
a lot of sense. They've had situations where they've stockpiled
picks right and it hadn't worked out. If they if
they're in love with this and this is a Hall
of Fame type thing, nobody blinks at giving up the
picks to go get it.
Speaker 6 (33:51):
If it's not, then it's not. We think they were behold.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
When would they be arranged to do this again with
a player as unique as this. They're at five, they
only have to go to two. It's not like they're
sitting at twenty five and trying to get up there.
It just made sense. The player was there, the opportunity
was there, the picks they had let it go, and
this will be the first time that the Jaguars will
enter the next season without a first round pick in
their history, but as Gladstone said, he is uniquely qualified
(34:18):
to be able to navigate that.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
Yeah, I've heard that before, all right, John, When are
we actually going to see these rookies take the field
in a couple.
Speaker 6 (34:27):
A week from Friday, I believe, I.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
Think May eighth, as they come in and.
Speaker 7 (34:33):
Then, yeah, is when the first mini camp starts, and
that's when you get eyes on them and those are
as most fans know more about running, but Travis can run.
Speaker 6 (34:44):
So we'll watch that.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Absolutely lots to talk about.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
We'll have some more time to talk about it next
week as well, but until then, enjoy your week.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Thanks for watching.
Jacksonville, Jack Lars and like t Travis Hunter, roar receiver defensive.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Back in Colorados, the boldest of bold moves to kick
off the draft and the James Gladstone era here in Jacksonville.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Welcome.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
I'm Cannannie Stevens to Jagsam this morning. Brian Sexton, John
Osier with me. As we have a lot to discuss.
We were here all weekend for the draft and a
lot of new faces coming to toat We'll start off
with big things. Bold moves got as bold as you're
going to get Brian off the b We knew they
weren't going to be scared to do it, but trading
up to get Travis Hunter the boldest move in franchise history.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I think fair to say.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Without a doubt. Look, I've done this for thirty one years, right,
that was my thirty first NFL Draft. I've never seen
a player be the best player at wide receiver, best
player at corner, and the best overall player. It's the
triple crown, except I've never even seen a triple before.
I mean, I've seen the best quarterback and the best
player in the draft. Right, It's just the Jaguars were
sitting at five in a unique year where both the
(01:23):
top team and the number two team didn't want the
best player in the draft, why not swing for it
and get a guy that you believe can be a
Hall of Famer. You gotta take moves like that. They
found a way to get it done. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 6 (01:37):
Look, it's a tone setting move.
Speaker 7 (01:40):
It's a risky move because you're giving up so much
capital to go get it, but it's also a move
where everybody's on board, and I think what it shows
more than anything they've been talking since they got here,
meaning Tony vassellly, Liam Cohen, and James Gladstone about being
aligned and since the draft talking to different people. This
(02:03):
really did take alignment, meaning you had to make sure strength, staff,
assistant coaches, whatever, knows what.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
The plan is going to be for this guy.
Speaker 7 (02:11):
And everybody's on board, and everybody's willing to be that
team that sort of puts itself out there to go
do this. So New eraon douvall Right.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Well and listen, that's what everyone wanted, right. I Mean,
I'm assuming that most people who are watching this are
on board with this move. But if you were not,
you wanted something different. The previous general manager probably doesn't
make this move. He doesn't like to give up picks.
You wanted something different, man, You got something different, and
you got it in spades. You got a guy who
(02:41):
was willing to take the boldest of moves, as Kay
said right off the top, in one of the boldest moves,
if not the boldest move in franchise history.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Bit of a one to eighty, but a good one.
Let's go to big thing number two, which is two
for one. Obviously, Travis Hunter is going to play on
both sides the football. But John versatility was something they
focused on in this draft. A lot of these players
play multiple positions or have played a position in college
and they think can play a different position at the
NFL level. That was clearly an important characteristic to GM
James Gladstone.
Speaker 7 (03:09):
Yeah, I was gonna say, with the exception of the
running backs, but even the running back Tooton can return kicks.
Speaker 6 (03:16):
The offensive lineman. It's getting to the point where if.
Speaker 7 (03:19):
You're not a top five offensive lineman pick, you better
be able to sort of play a lot of positions
when you first coming in the league anyway, But yeah,
it's about versatility. McLeod the linebacker can do multiple things.
He's going to play that buck position, which is a
versatile position.
Speaker 6 (03:38):
That's what they wanted.
Speaker 7 (03:39):
And again, if you're going to set a tone for
a draft with versatility, run, it's Travis Hunter, who's versatile
as any player has been in sixty five years.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
And let me just touch on that off the top.
He's a guy who people are wondering can he do both?
And there's lots of conventional wisdom that says that in
the NFL you can't, because the density of playing just
wide receiver alone or just cornerback alone is so much
greater at the NFL level. He was so much more
gifted than most of the players that he lined up
(04:08):
against in college football. He didn't have to spend the
sort of energy intellectually and physically that he's going to
have to at the NFL level. So that's conventional wisdom.
But you're spending a little time with him on Thursday
night in Green Bay. I don't doubt his ability to
do it. I don't know that he can play the
number of snaps he played almost every snap in Colorado,
but I think he can play a significant role on
(04:30):
both sides. Of the ball, and so today, I think it's.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Going to be an evolving situation.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I'm excited to see how they utilize him and how
that progresses as the season goes along. Our final big
thing today is going to be take what's given. Now,
we know a lot of the draft is about how
the board falls and what they addressed. Jim James Gladstone
addressed taking not necessarily the need of the team, but
what's available.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
The board always fallows certain ways, and you're not going
to reach because of what might be a perceived need.
So you're always going to take the players that you
feel like are going to put the team in the
best interest moving forward, and you don't want ever sort
of lean heavily into just one idea of best player
available and needed some version of balanced dynamic that comes
(05:15):
with that.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Brian, They certainly addressed some needs on this team or
perceived needs by this new iteration in the front office
and coaching staff. But I know some people are like,
why didn't you go defensive tackle route? Why wasn't that
looked at it all? And James Wotson basically said, we
didn't see what we wanted at those points, so we'll
kind of address it at a different point.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Well, rather than the age old you know, best available
player and who doesn't need a great player wherever you're at,
and the fact that this team had a lot of holes.
What we don't know kai is what they tried to do.
We know the trades that they were able to execute
moving back and forth. We don't know who they called
to try to move up to be in a position
to take a defensive tackle, who said no, or who
(05:54):
took someone else's offer, or who wanted too much. Because
they didn't take one where they were means that they
didn't like where they were or what was there where
they were. It doesn't mean they didn't try to address
the issue at defensive tackle.
Speaker 7 (06:09):
There may be no bigger disconnect between how most people
view something in the NFL and how it really works
in the draft. I was ecstatic after the draft to
see that they didn't get an edge rusher.
Speaker 6 (06:23):
And here's why now that they don't need one.
Speaker 7 (06:26):
That's not a weakness, but it showed me that they
really do stick true to the board.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
There were edge rudgers.
Speaker 7 (06:33):
That that they like, particularly one somewhere in like the
second or third round. Is my understanding didn't get him
didn't work out. We've been around gms who automatically at
that point the next round would be saying, get me
an edge rusher, and if you do that, that's the
quickest way toward errors.
Speaker 6 (06:50):
The fact that they didn't press.
Speaker 7 (06:51):
That and then went out and got I'm gonna watch
his name on Sunday because Emmanuel Oh by, thank you.
The fact they went that route shows me that when
they say they're going to be true to a board
and true to their value strategy, that they're going to
do that, that really bodes well for the franchise. Even
(07:12):
if people may not grasp why you didn't fill a need.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Stay with us here on Jagsam. We got more on
that first round draft pick. Travis Hunter exam brought to
you by Fresh from Florida. It's always in season.
Speaker 8 (07:31):
It's capacity to ignite belief, right belief in ourselves, belief
in others, right belief in achieving what many may deem impossible.
Travis Hunter, he embodies belief right. He's a rare person,
he's a rare player, but he's also a reminder that
(07:53):
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 we are, and we want him to be
nothing more than him because when he is, he elevates
(08:15):
the space around from the football field to the city,
to the game of football itself. Travis Hunter is who
we've been hunting up.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Talk about an introduction.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
If Travis Hunter wasn't ready to run through a wall
after hearing all that and expectations for him, I think
he's pretty excited to be in Jacksonville.
Speaker 6 (08:37):
I wish James wasn't so meek.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
You know, he really is just so soft spoken, doesn't
say anything with his chest.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
You know, look.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
This, I've never really seen anything like this with James
Gladstone's willingness to sort of say here's what we're thinking.
The NFL that I've been around, Brian has always had
that thing of secretive where they would say something in
a draft room right out and say, well, we don't
want to get burned by saying this about this player.
James Gladstone has the conviction of his beliefs, the confidence
(09:09):
to move forward with it, and really there's a core
of confidence there that allows him to say things like
we think this kid's going to be a transitional player
or a transcendental player.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
I like it. I'm getting used to it.
Speaker 7 (09:24):
And the whole theme of the weekend is so obviously
this wants to be a bold franchise, and they did
that with the first pick. It's an unbelievable tone to set.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Roy.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Listen, if you ever wonder why they keep things so
secretive and quiet. Now you know, we've been told that
it was a seventeen day window that they had this
thing done. And just a little side story. I'm in
the media room at the convention center there in Green
Bay and Dylan, who is our PR representative, up there,
(09:54):
and here comes the whole team from Cleveland and they're
pr and social people and one of the guys is
carrying the football with a great, big number two in
a graffiti style on it. I mean they thought that
they were taking Travis Hunter. They were all excited about it.
I almost went over today, We'll take that from you,
because it didn't take them out at that At that time,
I knew and maybe they didn't what was happening. It
(10:17):
was just interesting to me that the Browns were the Titans.
John and the Browns passed on a player that the
Jaguars believe will not only be a Hall of Fame
caliber player over the course of his career, but will
also be a guy that can transition the game. Why
do you take anyone else?
Speaker 6 (10:33):
I get it.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
You know, they needed a quarterback in Nashville and they
think that Mason Graham fits their personality. Man, I still
can't believe the best player, the best corner, the best receiver,
the best player was not good enough or didn't fit
in Nashville or Cleveland.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
Well, and even beyond sort of how he's with the media.
Maybe when you were a kid and if you bought hystereo,
you worried if your friends would.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Like it or not?
Speaker 7 (10:56):
Right, I mean, that was the most important part of
the person, to get your car. The kids at school
have to, uh, like what I got. I get feeling
that Gladstone would probably go and buy a car and
not give a rats but what the other kids thought
of it? Because he believed it's the right thing to do.
And this pick took guts because if in two years
(11:18):
it doesn't work, it's, oh, what an idiot. But he
believes in it. The franchise believes in it. They're they're
seeing it in a unique way and then not afraid
to follow it because a lot of people in this
league would have been afraid to make that move even
if they wanted to.
Speaker 6 (11:37):
So buckle up, buckle up.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
I think it's interesting to point out we talk about
we're kind of used to that secrecy angle. Obviously, they
kept a secret for quite some time and close enough
to the best that it didn't leak out, which in
today's media is pretty crazy. But then also just being
honest about they said they were gonna make mold moves
and they have made bold moves, and I don't think
we're necessarily used to hearing that around here and then
the follow through and very much intentionally saying how they're
(12:03):
going to act and operate and then doing that exact
same thing.
Speaker 5 (12:06):
So it's a new generation. I've said it before. I
call them the hedge Fund group, right. I mean, they're young,
they're data driven, they're aggressive. They're willing ki to take
conventional wisdom and set it aside for a move that
the data and their aggressive posture says works. You know
for guys like us who've seen conventional been around conventional
and you too hopes in conventional football thinking it's I
(12:29):
want to say it's radical, but it's very different. It's
not hard to get used to. It's not hard to
get used to something that says we're going in a
different direction from a four and thirteen football team, right
from one that what if they wont they're five and
seventeen in their last twenty three regular season games. Yeah,
let's go. And let's not just go John, let's go
all in with both feet into.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
The deep end. Yeah. And something that I think.
Speaker 7 (12:55):
Since we've met James Gladstone on this set and been
around them a little bit. I'm not gonna say where
hanging out at the beach, but we have gotten a
fuel for him. I think if you watch him on TV.
I got this text with somebody in the media send
I wish he just didn't talk like a cult leader, right,
you know, but but he has a unique way of
(13:16):
speaking that I don't necessarily know translates into who he
really is.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
I had somebody yesterday tell me, well, this is a
football guy.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Now, he played football and he's competitive, and so I
don't know if that part necessarily gets through and you're
watching him, but the football people in the BI I mean,
this guy was born to be a GM and you
could sort of tell he's living his life and he's
been ready for this moment. The more you're around him,
(13:48):
the more you realize this is a different cat leading
the Jaguars and it's gonna be fun to watch. And
I'd be stunned if this isn't successful.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
I don't know about next.
Speaker 7 (13:57):
Year, but under his leadership, that vision, in that organization.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
This is a different thing going on.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
And if it is, who cares what he says, it's
what he does sure.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
And I think we also have to remember at this
point of the progression, they're still trying to set that tone.
They're still trying to say exactly what the Jaguars are
going to be going forward. So yes, we hear him
a lot, and you know, repeated phrases, intangibly rich and
some other things, But a lot of that is because they.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Want to be on the same page. If you're saying
the same things.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
That's how you know that that's truly where they're all at.
Let's talk a little bit more about Travis Hunter, because
I'm having some fun with this. So from what we've
heard so far, he'll play or they're going to start
him out on offense and then kind of work him
into defense, which is a little bit different than a
lot of people had predicted. Some of the scouts and
analysis was that he would play mostly defense and then
(14:48):
minor on offense.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
But we're seeing opposite of that, which is kind of cool.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Well, maybe you heard Jeff loghim and say this. I
rely on his instincts on this. He told me that
he believed that Travis Hunter has hall of ability as
a wide receiver. In fact, he told me and our
audience I'd get a show with him that he thought
that this was a guy who was maybe the best
receiver he had ever watched on tape. He just makes
(15:11):
it look easy. His thought was that the disparity between
Travis Hunter and all the other receivers was wide at corner,
it was much more narrow. He thought he was very good,
obviously the number one overall guy, but it wasn't that
he was far and away the better corner. Now, I've
seen different opinions on that. Obviously, when you've got a
guy that plays both ways, everyone's gonna have a different opinion.
(15:33):
But I trust log him in on this one. And
I've been watching the game film and I see a
receiver that looks like I don't know, Yeah, I mean,
he could be as good as anybody that you want
in the league.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
A key is going to be.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
And this is what Bucky Brooks said on some shows
on with him. He does need to get more polished.
He's not coming out as a absolute at a top
ten Henry Eller type route runner yet.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
But.
Speaker 7 (16:03):
Is so is so scary to defenses that he's gonna
strain it.
Speaker 6 (16:09):
He will need to work.
Speaker 7 (16:11):
To polish as an NFL receiver. My understanding is it's
going to be seventy five percent offense at first, meaning
practicing and working with the offense multiple days a week
and then learning maybe defensive packages to be on the
field when the other team is in passing situations, something
(16:32):
along the that's not exact.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
That's the vibe that I get from listening to press conferences.
They will figure out a way to make work.
Speaker 7 (16:40):
The one thing I did here yesterday was, look, it's
gonna be full time offense, working toward defense first year.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
But this kid wants to be on.
Speaker 7 (16:50):
The field every play. They're gonna have to hold him
back from doing that. And there's no reason in the
future if he shows he can do it.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
They'll let him do it.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Can you imagine those strategically Again, probably not this year,
but at some point in his career where you just
pop him in and he starts right. You're playing the
Minnesota Vikings and Henry Ellard and you're trying to get
ready and you don't know that here comes Travis Hunter
and he's going to start at corner. You game planned
because you think you're going to see Monteric Brown and
instead you're getting Travis Hunter. I mean strategically, you can
(17:17):
do some things with him that we've never seen done before.
That alone is a transition in the game, changing the game,
which is what Gladstone said he could do.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
And the one overwhelming thing they said is people who've
played football and understand what it takes physically to do it,
they're blown away by even watch them in Colorado be
able to run a sixty five yard route on one play,
come off, drink a sip of water, and go out
and be playing at a high level on the next play. Now,
will that be after the massaged a bit in the
(17:51):
NFL with the physicality, maybe, but they've never seen anything
like that in college. So what will look like in
the NFL. That A's alway said what everybodys waiting to see.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
You grew up in New England. I mean, how many
times did you watch the Kenyon Runners during the Boston
Marathon run these two hour marathons and come across the line, right,
I mean you're like not even Yeah, it's sweating. There's
just there's some people on earth that can do things
physically that other people can't, and maybe he's that guy.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
And very exciting on offense.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
At Colorado, his main role was on defense and then
he was kind of going in on offense and playing
with what was given to him. So if he takes
all of his time and focuses, you know, seventy five
percent of his time and is focusing on offense and
learning routes and becoming better, he was already the best
wide receiver in college last year without that, so it's
very exciting to kind of predict.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
What that might look like on the next level.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Well, that's a lot of exciting things and we are
very excited to see Travis Hunter take the field. But
before that, we're going to talk about some of the
other picks in this draft. Coming about the break move,
the freight Move the freight Magellan Transport voted the coolest
office space in Jacksonville. You can apply online at Magellan
(19:04):
Logistics dot com.
Speaker 9 (19:07):
I honestly haven't even thought that far, you know, Like
I honestly it's really got to be a completely one
day at a time approach. Like a yeah, you're always
feeling like you're adding levels of competition and depth to
the to the roster. Is exactly what we did. We
do feel like we got, we got better and improved.
We will not have a clue until we do this
(19:27):
thing more than a week here, you know, in terms
of being on the grass, because we haven't even been
able to truly play football yet. So the focus is
so deeply rooted in the culture, the way that they're
going to play, our style of play, teaching those elements,
and now we have to go and get an entire
rookie class onboarded. I mean, that's a lot of work.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
So the focus is.
Speaker 9 (19:48):
So tight right now that probably haven't even thought that
far ahead.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
It's a good point.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
We've had a lot of changes, a lot of additions,
but they still been taking.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
The football field and playing football. Yet there's still.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Running around and the big question is for him is
the quarterback?
Speaker 6 (20:03):
Right?
Speaker 5 (20:04):
I mean, we're all excited about Travis Hunter and what
he brings, and it comes back to can Liam and
his staff unlock Travis or part of me, Trevor Lawrence's ability.
Can they get him to a position where all the
things right footwork and technique, but comfort level and understanding
and just let him go and play and be the
quarterback that we all know, or at least some of
(20:26):
us believe is still in there and let him be
his best.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Yeah, we're gonna see no matter what happens next year
is a more disciplined team with more speed on the outside.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
And I think no matter what.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
Happens with Trevor, they're gonna be able to run better
because if nothing else, they're more committed to it. When
you say something as a theme, you're gonna see that
and they believe they're gonna be able to run better.
So I think you're gonna get to that six seven win.
You know there are four last year, so I think
that gets them better. And then at that point, how
much they accelerate and how quickly how it looks the
(21:01):
big moments are going to depend on Trevor and any
franchise in the league with a quarterback with potential who's
trying to reach it is saying that exact same thing.
Speaker 6 (21:13):
That's the storyline here.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
He's gonna have all of the options now, at least
on offense. Got a new additions to the running game,
and obviously a ton of additions on the offensive line.
I think this offensive line might look completely different than
what we've been used to see.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
Yeah, and frankly, no idea how it's gonna look. I mean,
all the projections for offensive line on this team.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
If you think you know who's starting, you probably don't.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Know who starts. Well, probably know who the center is though, right,
most likely yeah, yeah, and Z from Tampa.
Speaker 7 (21:48):
There are five one would thinks on the line that
look logical. But my understanding is Mylain was brought in
for a reason. Fred Johnson was brought in for reason.
Training camp. Usually when people say, hey is open competition
and training camp in the NFL, you go yeah, right,
(22:08):
and you're right down the starters.
Speaker 6 (22:10):
It's worth watching this year.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
Take a look at some of the picks that they
actually made, because as a class, there's about nine of them.
They addressed some specific positions. Obviously two running backs. They
took a couple of linemen Wymeland we already mentioned early on,
and then some of the defensive players. Caleb Bransop played,
you know, nickel corner. They kind of project him as
being a safety for this team. And also Jack Kaiser
(22:34):
plays linebackers. Was at Notre Dame for six years, I
think it was, but I heard mentioned a couple of
different times from Gladstone and others.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
In the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
He's playing safety out there, just to help out Phil Spots.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
You know, when when I saw some of these things
come in Kai the two linebackers back to back, right,
and I know McLeod's more of an edge rusher, but
you've got Devin Lloyd and Chad Mooma, who were first
in third round picks that are in the expiring years
of their contract, right, So you see the future there.
They're moving into the future. You see Hunter and Ransaw
(23:09):
and Lane and you think, well, you know, they're moving
into the future. They're not thinking about just this year.
They are thinking about transitioning to their guys and it's
obvious those are positions where they desperately need new guys.
Speaker 7 (23:23):
Yeah, I think on the other side that buck position
we talked about. It is a little bit of a hybrid.
It's what Devin Lloyd has sort of. Coaches have been
trying to get him in a position to play, which
is sort of that, you know, base on the early
downs and then with a little bit of pass rush ability.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
That's what they think McLoud can do.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
Those two guys will be at that spot, and I
think the guy at watching their in training camp is
going to be ransaw because if there was a need
position going into the draft on this team of a safety,
third round safeties can start and I think that they
would like a lot of these rookies to win jobs,
(24:03):
but they're going to have to win jobs.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Well.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
It's notable that at the post draft news conference, Gladstone
and Cohene were both asked have you decided on the
fifth year option for Devin Lloyd? And they had not,
which I thought was telling that they were moving into
this new spot.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
I'm gonna have to earn it all, right, Brian. If
you're gonna give a letter grade for this draft class
as a whole, where would you go with it? And
who's someone you're watching specifically? Non Travis Hunter. We're all
watching Dravis Hunter.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Right, No, listen to me, this is an a because
they were willing to be bold and go get the
best player in the draft, and then you know, you
watch them work through some scenarios. John mentioned earlier they
were interested in a pass rusher. It was the kid
from Louisville who went early in the third round. And
then you saw them back up from where they were
at seventy to eighty eight and one hundred and two
and then up. They were clearly working the board and
(24:51):
had a great plan. I like mylam who is who
I am focused on, because he was one of the
best offensive linemen in the Big twelve conference and played
left tack and when you look at his laundry list
of accolades, I mean he's the player of the week
week in and week out, you know, first team all
Big Twelve. So I think this is a guy and
John just hit on it. He's moving inside to guard.
(25:12):
But from what I hear as well, I mean he's
going to be a factor in year one. This is
not a developmental guy. This is a guy that they
believe can get better by being on the field. So
I thought it was a great draft. No reason to
back off. I'll go with the A.
Speaker 7 (25:24):
Yeah, I thought it was a great draft too. I'm
giving it a B plus because I mean.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
That's basically an A from John Well.
Speaker 7 (25:31):
I want Besselia to come down and say, where'd you
give it a B plus? You know, and so I
can fight with him on it. But yeah, I didn't
want to give it an A because there is a
little bit of acknowledged risk with Travis Hunter. So I
guess I didn't give it an A because I kind
of wanted a discussion point on it.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
But I love the draft. I love the whole attitude
in it.
Speaker 7 (25:51):
I'm not good enough at knowing players to know if
if the fifth pick was a great pick or.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Not, neither of mine.
Speaker 7 (25:58):
I do know Tuton is a really player, and that's
what I'm going to talk about. He's really fast, and
I think the key that you heard in the post
draft press conference was when Liam talked about UH being
a explosive change. You know that they now were a
more explosive team. Their quick strikeability is what I'm looking
(26:20):
for that he used UH.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
He gives he changes.
Speaker 7 (26:25):
That dynamic form, Dammy Brown changes that dynamic form.
Speaker 6 (26:27):
Travis Hunter.
Speaker 7 (26:28):
Those to me are the three guys that change that dynamic.
When Liam talked so much about that in the press or,
I said, Okay, this is a guy. Uh, he's gonna
matter next year. And I want the seventh round center
to be good because I want to be able to
say Monheim steamroller.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
The phrase that I heard from from Liam was score
from long distance.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Right.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
He must have said that three times in his post
draft news conference. And that's who the kid is here
is right, Well, that's what he and Travis Hunter are
both at. And Diammy Brown appears to be that guy too,
and we saw that Brian Thomas is certainly that guy.
Now you put this kind of a threat in the
backfield guy, all of a sudden, the safeties can't be
too deep, right, they can't be looking to be over
the top on Brian all the time. So this really
(27:14):
does unlock a lot of things.
Speaker 7 (27:16):
And before you lose side of it, you know, I
think this. I think Touton changed the offensive is going
to change the offensive backfield dynamic. I don't know who
starts out of what I think they're going to play three.
I think they would love for Travis etn to be
the receiver runner combination that he's shown, but I think
(27:36):
overall the important thing about the backs if you think
if you close your eiz.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
Anything about the big plays.
Speaker 7 (27:42):
In the last couple of years, Travis has had a
bunch tank has shown he can go the distance. I
don't know that they have touton level speed right, but
they have three guys who in the right situation can
pop it. So I think that it's going to be
interesting to see how this team uses backs well.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
I think that etn too years ago he was an
eleven touchdown guy. If they can figure out a way,
can we use the term unlock to find a spot
for him in the offense where it unlocks that speed
and that I don't think you can hand off to
him and expect him to run between the tackles, but
find a way to get him in motion and get
him the ball when he's running. I think you could
have something well.
Speaker 6 (28:18):
And in the modern NFL.
Speaker 7 (28:22):
Twenty years ago, that role for a back might be
seen as oh, well, we're putting him over in this role. Well, now,
in the NFL, guys who can run and catch with
equal which I think Travis has in him, he does
can go make a lot of money. Yeah, because that's
a weapon I don't think.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
It's necessarily indictment on Travis either. He's entering the final
year of his contract. We know how running backs kind
of go in the league. And also pushing him a
little bit because, as we've seen, having that competition in
any room is going to increase your chances of being better.
He's kind of playing for a contract at this point,
whether he or elsewhere, So having that ability and pushing
him a little bit, I think for me it was
(29:00):
exciting to see this draft. We hear intangibly rich, What
does that mean? We're seeing what the intangibles are that
they value. It's speed, it's toughness.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
That ability.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
When you talk to Milum and he's just saying, you know,
I haven't allowed a sack as a starter.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I don't plan on doing that at the next level.
I'm going to protect Trevor.
Speaker 6 (29:17):
That is my goal.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
I joke with JP all the time. He sits next
to me, you know, let's talk ball, Like, let's stop
all this other stuff. But these guys actually love ball
and that's all they want to talk about.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
And you're talking.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Even when I talk to Tuton as well, he's talking
about pass pro is something he likes to focus on
as well. So having those players that want to get
down and dirty and kind of do the little things
and they want to play football at whatever cost that is,
So that changes the.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Character of your tea when you're talking about changing the culture.
Speaker 7 (29:45):
Yeah, and we've talked about Gladstone a lot, but this
is the moment that you talk about the GM Kay
you joked earlier about you know, always saying the phrases,
always saying intangibly rich. I know fans that's sort of
become a meme than it's a meme, a meme guy Brian,
but not so. But I do know there what Kay
(30:06):
said earlier is important. There's a method of that madness
of he always.
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Talks about intangibly rich.
Speaker 7 (30:11):
He always talks about having those traits in the bucket
and leaning into that during the pick. If you're gonna
have something be a franchise wide theme, which clearly this
kind of player is. You want the scouts, you want
the coaches, always talking about that in the forefront of
your mind. It's easy to talk about wanting a certain
(30:31):
kind of guy, But if you're not always thinking about it,
then it's easy when decisions get made to forget about
that key point. It's safe to say around here you
do not forget that they want that kind of player.
Speaker 6 (30:43):
And I think that's been why you heard that so much.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
And I think it's important to go back to the
top with Travis real quick on this one. He is
intangibly rich, not because he can play two positions, but
just a quick story. I was talking to him at
the play sixty event on Wednesday where they get the
players who are there with some of the local high
school kids and some special Olympians, and you know, they're
just besieged by people that want to talk to him,
and kind of at the end, I decided to go
(31:08):
and have a conversation, just a quick conversation, and I
think it was great. Well, he came into the area
after the Jaguars picked him where I was waiting to
get the first interview with him, and he pointed, he goes, hey,
did you think we'd be doing this today? Nice to
see you again. Well, listen, that might seem like a
really small thing, but at a connection that's rare. It's
a humanity and both all of Baselli, Gladstone, and Cohen
(31:29):
talked about wanting those kinds of people in the building
My first thought when he pointed and said nice to
see you again, was that's exactly who they wanted to
draft exactly. And one of the questions I asked him is,
as you come into the NFL, are you trying to
be a better corner, a better receiver?
Speaker 6 (31:42):
What do you work on?
Speaker 5 (31:42):
He goes, I want to be a better husband. Okay,
now we're talking about the quality of the individual and
what his fiance means to him. Really, I think off
the charts intangibles for Travis Hunter. We talk about off
the charts in terms of physical but off the field.
Hunter displayed that in a couple with answers and a
couple of comments that he made to me and green Bay.
Speaker 7 (32:03):
And the best part about it is he can really
play right right, All, all right, coming up, we'll tell
you what's coming up the rest of the month, and
when we can see these guys on the field too.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
Hey, how's life all good man? Anything else popping? How'd
you do? Sleeping on things? Oh?
Speaker 5 (32:46):
I'm same, just continuing to nothing has changed for me.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
It's it's it's the right motion. Let's go. Yeah, That's
what I'm talking about, Jake. That's how Tony woke.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
Up, we're gonna to draft the Hall of Famer? Would
your first do a girl pick? Hey, it works out
pretty well for the Jags and the expansion draft.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Like like your think, time will tell.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
Wet a preview of the hunt.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
We know they had that deal in place, probably well
before that, but kind of going over the specifics thirty
four hours before.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Making that move, no hesitancy there. They were definitely sold
on it from the get go.
Speaker 6 (33:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (33:33):
I think what Sead said over the weekend too, made
a lot of sense. They've had situations where they've stockpiled
picks right and it hadn't worked out. If they if
they're in love with this and this is a Hall
of Fame type thing, nobody blinks at giving up the
picks to go get it.
Speaker 6 (33:51):
If it's not, then it's not. We think they were behold.
Speaker 5 (33:56):
When would they be arranged to do this again with
a player as unique as this. They're at five, they
only have to go to two. It's not like they're
sitting at twenty five and trying to get up there.
It just made sense. The player was there, the opportunity
was there, the picks they had let it go, and
this will be the first time that the Jaguars will
enter the next season without a first round pick in
their history, but as Gladstone said, he is uniquely qualified
(34:18):
to be able to navigate that.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
Yeah, I've heard that before, all right, John, When are
we actually going to see these rookies take the field
in a couple.
Speaker 6 (34:27):
A week from Friday, I believe, I.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
Think May eighth, as they come in and.
Speaker 7 (34:33):
Then, yeah, is when the first mini camp starts, and
that's when you get eyes on them and those are
as most fans know more about running, but Travis can run.
Speaker 6 (34:44):
So we'll watch that.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Absolutely lots to talk about.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
We'll have some more time to talk about it next
week as well, but until then, enjoy your week.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Thanks for watching.
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