Travis Hunter (Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
A blockbuster trade proposal has an AFC team during the draft upside down by moving up for Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter.

The 21-year-old Travis Hunter is regarded by many scouts and analysts as the best prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. But with quarterback-needy teams in the Tennessee Titans (owners of the No. 1 pick), Cleveland Browns (No. 2 pick) and New York Giants (No. 3 pick) selecting early, there’s a good chance that Hunter falls out of the top three.

Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders (Hunter’s teammate) are all strong candidates to go before the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner.

MIke Band of NFL Next Gen Stats shared his first 2025 mock draft. In his exercise, Band has the New York Jets acquiring the No. 5 pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars for the No. 7 selection and a third-round pick, with the AFC East club using their pick on Hunter:

“Embracing the recent pick-stocking philosophy of his former boss, Rams GM Les Snead, new Jaguars GM James Gladstone gladly accepts a third-round choice in this hypothetical.

The Jets need help opposite Garrett Wilson at receiver and Sauce Gardner at cornerback, making New York an ideal spot for Hunter to showcase his rare two-way talent. It would be fitting for former Jets corner/current head coach Aaron Glenn to select a ball-hawking playmaker with his first pick on the job.”

It’s still unclear if Hunter will play primarily cornerback, wide receiver or both. It will largely depend on the landing spot, and Band makes a compelling case for the Jets to get Hunter to help Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner.

As a wide receiver, Travis Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. On the defensive side of the ball, he had 11 pass breakups, four interceptions and one forced fumble.

Travis Hunter Would Make The Jets Contenders

Travis Hunter (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
As bad as the Jets were with Aaron Rodgers in 2024, let’s not forget they went 7-10 in 2022 and 2023 with awful quarterback play. Surely, free agent signing Justin Fields will be an upgrade over former Jets QBs like Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle et al.

If Hunter plays defense, the Jets have the best cornerback tandem in the league. If he plays on offense, they have arguably the best WR duo. So if Hunter ends up with the Jets, it’ll push them one step closer to finally contending again.