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Jacksonville Jaguars begin rookie minicamp: What you need to know about Travis Hunter
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- Jacksonville Jaguars begin rookie minicamp: What you need to know about Travis Hunter
The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off their rookie minicamp Friday and players return to the practice field Saturday, when the general public will get their first look at the newest Jags, including two-way player Travis Hunter .
Hunter became an instant household name in Jacksonville when the franchise made a bold move, trading up from the fifth-overall pick to the second-overall pick to nab him. His prowess as both a wide receiver and a cornerback during his high school and collegiate years is well-documented.
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Jaguars general manager James Gladstone put his stamp on the direction the franchise is going after making the shrewd move to get Hunter. His comments about the Heisman Trophy winner give you a clear picture as to why.
NUMBERS??! Jacksonville Jaguars rookie jersey numbers revealed. What number will Travis Hunter wear?
" Travis Hunter , he embodies belief. He's a rare person. He's a rare player," Gladstone began during Hunter's introductory presser in April.
"But he's also a reminder that the boundaries of the game of football were built to be challenged. 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 the space around him. From the football field to the city to the game of football itself, Travis Hunter is who we've been hunting up."
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Rookie minicamp will take place from 1:15-2:30 on Saturday. Fans will be in attendance and must be ticketed to get in. Tickets were put out for distribution earlier this week.
Fans, media and other observers will get their first look at the nine draft picks and 22 undrafted free agents the team has or will sign over the coming days.
Who did the Jaguars pick in the 2025 NFL Draft? Rookie numbers revealed.
The Jaguars selected nine players in the 2025 NFL Draft, including Hunter.
Here are the team's draft selections and the numbers they've been assigned:
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Round 1 (No. 2 overall) - Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado (No. 12)
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Round 3 (88) - Caleb Ransaw, DB, Tulane (No. 27)
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Round 3 (89) - Wyatt Milum, OL, West Virginia (No. 64)
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Round 4 (104) - Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech (No. 33)
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Round 4 (107) - Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame (No. 54)
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Round 6 (194) - Jalen McLeod, EDGE, Auburn (No. 53)
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Round 6 (200) - Rayuan Lane III, S, Navy (No. 25)
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Round 7 (221) - Jonah Monheim, OL, USC (No. 60)
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Round 7 (236) - LeQuint Allen Jr., RB, Syracuse (No. 36)
Several rookies are expected to play significant roles this year, including Hunter, Ransaw, Milum and Tuten. Jacksonville's later-round picks could also see playing time as the franchise continues to reshape the team's floor.
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What should we expect from Travis Hunter in his Jaguars debut?
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Wide Receiver/Cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado celebrates after being selected second overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Hunter's actual debut will take place in September, officially, but he will be welcomed to Jacksonville sooner than that as the team hits the practice field Friday, continuing through the weekend.
It's the first time Jaguars coaches, fans, sponsors and other observers will see the second-overall pick in action since he was selected on the first night of the NFL Draft.
Hunter's debut comes just days after he walked across the stage at Colorado , graduating with a degree in Anthropology. Hunter was a two-time Academic All-America first team selection and now will graduate another way this weekend, going from college football to the pros.
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A learning curve should be expected for Hunter. Though he won't be going up against grizzled NFL vets during minicamp, he will be expected to perform at a high level immediately, even as he gets adjusted to the NFL playbook and the nuances that come with his roles.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen shared the team's initial plans for Hunter during the draft weekend, indicating the rookie will start his NFL career as a receiver before learning defensive back during the summer. The plan remains fluid, however.
"It's a little bit more than a 'we'll see,' but we do have to be fluid throughout, right? We'll have a plan right now of primarily on offense with learning the defensive system and practicing on the defensive side of the ball as well throughout this offseason program," Coen said.
"As we continue to grow, we have to be fluid throughout this whole process. We've had multiple conversations at length with athletic training, equipment, sports science, coaching, and everybody involved about this process and what it's going to look like moving forward. We have a plan in place, and that's really where we'll start."
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Hunter's ability as a receiver was put on full display in 2024. Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning the Belitnikoff Award, given to the nation's top wideout, in the process.
Jaguars to bring in 22 undrafted free agents
Oct 12, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Memphis Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan (9) drops back to pass against the South Florida Bulls in the second quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Jaguars made quick work of undrafted free agency immediately following the draft, bringing in 20 players before adding two more in the days that followed.
| NAME |
POS |
HT. |
WT. |
SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler Brayboy |
WR |
6-1 |
199 |
Elon |
| Cam Camper |
WR |
6-3 |
197 |
Boise State |
| DL |
6-2 |
288 |
Indiana |
|
| Branson Combs |
LB |
6-3 |
228 |
Wake Forest |
| John Copenhaver |
TE |
6-3 |
240 |
North Carolina |
| Ethan Downs |
DL |
6-4 |
263 |
Oklahoma |
| B.J. Green II |
DL |
6-1 |
270 |
Colorado |
| QB |
6-3 |
215 |
Memphis |
|
| Patrick Herbert |
TE |
6-5 |
255 |
Oregon |
| Ja'Quinden Jackson |
RB |
6-2 |
233 |
Arkansas |
| J.J. Jones |
WR |
6-3 |
210 |
North Carolina |
| Eli Mostaert |
DL |
6-3 |
289 |
North Dakota State |
| DB |
5-10 |
185 |
Oregon |
|
| Eli Pancol |
WR |
6-3 |
205 |
Duke |
| Keivie Rose |
DL |
6-3 |
314 |
Arkansas |
| Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig |
S |
5-10 |
185 |
Colorado |
| Doneiko Slaughter |
DB |
6-0 |
190 |
Arkansas |
| Danny Striggow |
DL |
6-5 |
255 |
|
| DB |
6-0 |
189 |
North Carolina State |
|
| Sal Wormley |
OL |
6-3 |
327 |
Penn State |
| Darius Lassiter |
WR |
6-2 |
205 |
BYU |
| WR |
6-0 |
181 |
Utah |
Undrafted free agent to watch: Duke WR Eli Pancol
Oct 26, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Eli Pancol (4) runs out prior to the first half of the game against Southern Methodist Mustangs at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
The Jaguars brought in several intriguing players during undrafted free agency, but one that stands out is Duke receiver Eli Pancol, who posted just 130 catches for 1,710 yards and 14 touchdowns during his time with the Blue Devils.
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Pancol's breakout season came in 2024 after he sustained multiple injuries that limited his playing time in 2022, completely missing the 2023 season.
Last year, Pancol caught 60 passes for 798 yards and nine touchdowns before he made his way to the next level.
What stands out about Pancol, though, are his measurables. Pancol scored a 9.73 Relative Athleric Score (RAS), ranking 105th out of 3,816 receivers from 1987 to 2025.
At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Pancol ran a blazing 4.40 40-yard dash, jumping 36 inches in the vertical jump. Pancol represents a receiver Jacksonville doesn't have on its roster at this time: a player with size and speed to stress defenses.
The Jaguars released receiver Gabe Davis with a failed physical designation earlier this week, opening up discussions about who may replace him.
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Davis was still recovering from a knee injury sustained last season and likely would have been the team's fifth receiver on the depth chart given his lack of special-teams ability, and the team's players, including Brian Thomas Jr. , Dyami Brown and Travis Hunter and Parker Washington , ahead of him.
Pancol and other Jaguars rookie wideouts will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot over the coming weeks and months.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter making Jacksonville Jaguars debut in rookie minicamp
