Big Cat Country
With the Jacksonville Jaguars on a bye in Week 8, we can pause and look at the performances of this year’s group of rookies to date. Do the early returns give us cause for optimism that James Gladstone has hit any home runs in his first draft haul?
It might not have been the instant impact many had hoped for from the Jags’ first-round pick considering the draft capital they had to give up to get him. But Travis Hunter had a breakout game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Evidently considered a receiver first and a defensive back second, Hunter was targeted nearly twice as much as any other week of the year at Wembley, breaking the 100 receiving yard mark for the first time in his professional career. He also scored his first touchdown, invoking a muted celebration from the usually upbeat Hunter as the Jaguars were so heavily behind. 300 yards through seven games isn’t Rookie MVP material, but things are definitely trending in the right direction.
Hunter has been given more snaps on defense than Anthony Campanile might have intended so far in 2025, on the field for 36% of the time. Injuries have forced the defensive coordinator’s hand, but Hunter still sees more game time on offense. It’s been a largely uneventful affair on the defensive side of the ball, but Hunter has looked generally competent, with 15 tackles and five pass breakups.
Considering the rapid increase in recent production and the value you get from Hunter on both sides of the ball, Gladstone’s first-ever pick as a Jaguar can be labelled a positive one thus far, with optimism and expectation that there’s a lot more to come from the Heisman Trophy winner.
I guess we’re going to have to revisit this draft pick in twelve month’s time. Ransaw, a third-round selection out of Tulane, suffered a non-contact foot injury in preseason and was put on season-ending injured reserve. Perhaps Ransaw’s absence has led to Travis Hunter’s aforementioned increased body of work on defense, perhaps not; day two picks aren’t guaranteed starters, particularly if they hail from a Group of Five school like Ransaw does. Expectations unknown, and no performances to analyze – mark this one down as ‘to be determined’.
Another draft selection whose early NFL career has been derailed due to injury, Wyatt Milum has missed almost all of 2025 so far with a nagging knee issue. In fact, Milum has only seen the field twice; two snaps on special teams against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6 is his sum contribution to the Jaguars cause to date. This article isn’t going as well as expected – you can pencil any judgment on this selection for a while too.
Back in the game! Gladstone looks like he’s found something with the Jaguars’ fourth-round pick; hopes were high for Bhayshul Tuten based on some spicy preseason performances....
