On Thursday, the Jacksonville Jaguars riskily rolled the dice on drafting wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter—trading up with the Cleveland Browns in order to get their man.
The question, for many observers, was why? The Jaguars are smarting after a 4–13 season and have a new coach in Liam Coen, but it'd be inaccurate to describe their reset as a full teardown. Why gamble on a player whose skillset and workload seems more evocative of the 1950s than the 2020s?
After the first round, Jacksonville owner Shad Khan provided an answer.
“One thing the [Jaguars] have always done well is building draft capital,” Khan said via Michael Silver of The Athletic. “We’ve been great at stockpiling picks. And when it gets right down to it, what do you have to show for it?"
The Jaguars' playoff history since Khan took over the team before the 2012 season is sparse, with just two appearances in 2017 and 2022 to their name. With Hunter, Jacksonville will have a golden opportunity to change that.
“We need difference makers," Khan said. "That’s what we got.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jaguars Owner Shad Khan Succinctly Explains Up Why Team Traded Up for Travis Hunter.
