When the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, shockwaves were sent throughout the league. One of the most intriguing draft prospects of the modern era, Hunter’s two-way skills have taken the football world by storm and are expected to provide a major spark to the Jaguars’ franchise.
With the draft now over and attention turning to OTAs, rookie minicamp and training camp, questions now begin to emerge as to who could take home this year’s rookie of the year honors. And Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its odds for rookie of the year, with Hunter +750 0dds to win the offensive award and +750 to win the defensive award.
“Hunter’s usage will be one of the biggest stories in the NFL this season,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote. “This may actually be a good value bet on Hunter, as it seems the Jaguars are planning to make wide receiver his primary position. A high target share would be well earned after he recorded an outstanding 89.1 PFF receiving grade and led the Power Four in touchdowns in his final college season.”
Jacksonville’s Usage Plan for Travis Hunter
At first, Hunter will focus primarily on offense but the goal and expectation is that he will be ready to play both ways by the start of the season, with the Jaguars brass acknowledging that they want all options on the table.
“We have to be fluid,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said at Hunter’s introductory press conference. “We have it laid out. But we also have to have the ability to be agile and be fluid on specific days. If we don’t feel like he got enough work on one side of the ball the previous day, then we need to be able to move forward and get him those reps the next day.”
Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy last season to become the first two-way player to win the award since Charles Woodson in 1997, will be a game changer on whichever side of the ball that he lines up on. Leading college football with the most snaps played, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense while intercepting four passes on defense. In winning the Heisman, Hunter also became the first Colorado player to win the award since Rashaan Salaam in 1994 and is only the second ever Buffalo to win it.
Rookies Listed Ahead of Hunter
Though Hunter is considered a heavy favorite, a loaded rookie class will make winning the award very hard for him. On the offensive side of the ball, Las Vegas Raiders running back, Ashton Jeanty, leads the pack at +200 odds while Tennessee Titans quarterback, Cam Ward, has the second highest odd at +230. Both Jeanty and Ward will be week one starters for their respective teams. Jeanty, a Heisman finalist last season, finished a historic junior season with over 2,600 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns.
Ward, another Heisman finalist, was instrumental in Miami’s success in 2024, finishing the campaign with over 4,300 passing yards and 39 touchdown passes in his lone season with the Hurricanes.
On the defensive side of the ball, Hunter has the second highest odds, but trails Abdul Carter of the New York Giants, who comes in at +250 odds. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American last season, Carter enters his rookie season with high expectations.
Hunter will have a lot of competition when it comes to taking home a Rookie of the Year award, but his production in college combined with all the hype that surrounds him should put the odds more in his favor, and if he is able to deliver on a strong rookie season, we may very well see Hunter take home the award for both sides of the ball.
Jaguars’ 2-Way Star a Favorite for Top Rookie Awards