The Jacksonville Jaguars made a generational trade for a generational talent when they selected Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday night. Time will tell whether their bold move pays off, but for now, the Jags are loving the new Hunter era.
The Jaguars social team hilariously changed the team's profile picture on X, formerly known as Twitter, to a photo of Hunter making a silly face, arguably the perfect representation of the one-of-a-kind energy the former Colorado two-way star brings to Jacksonville.
Jaguars general manager James Gladstone, who's the second-youngest GM in NFL history at 34 years old, did his best to reassure the fanbase after the big-time picks trade. During Thursday night's press conference, he referenced the notorious "F--- Them Picks" roster-building strategy he borrowed from his time with the Los Angeles Rams.
To assuage fans' worries, Gladstone also gave a powerful speech on choosing to draft Hunter with near-perfect cadence and delivery, casually showing off his impressive oratorial skills.
Take a listen:
"Really what comes to mind for me, right, thinking about the sport of football and really the power of the game itself," Gladstone said. "Its capacity to ignite belief. Belief in ourselves, belief in others, belief in achieving what many may deem impossible. Travis Hunter, he embodies belief. He's a rare person, he's a rare player. But he's also a reminder that the boundaries of the game of football were built to be challenged."
Statement made.#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/qmje44HXOX
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) April 25, 2025
Fans thought Gladstone definitely lived up to the moment:
Was there a teleprompter in the room? Was this memorized by James Gladstone? This is a Tom Hanks / Denzel Washington delivery ... https://t.co/fmAgwMUvy5
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 25, 2025
This dude speaks better and more eloquently than 99% of GMs in the NFL. Articulate, measured.
— Eric Snyder (@_EricSnyder_) April 25, 2025
Damn impressive.
Rooting for the Jags to succeed https://t.co/nIummEA8z6
My man has been working on this for months in the mirror https://t.co/ttMnJEPzGJ
— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) April 25, 2025
I would run through a wall for this man. https://t.co/KsJbWRdba7
— Bryan (@DuvalPls) April 25, 2025
Bars. https://t.co/tBTPcWw3In
— Anthony Amico (@amicsta) April 25, 2025
Never been more bought in on a human being than I am James Gladstone after giving a Gettysburg Address for drafting Travis Hunter. https://t.co/1U4gfGGPjN
— Ryan Ge (@RyanGe25) April 25, 2025
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jaguars GM’s Powerful Message on Travis Hunter at NFL Draft Will Give You Chills.
