Latest news with #Owner'sMeetings
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Jacksonville Jaguars' fearless GM shocked NFL with Travis Hunter draft day trade
What would you do if you weren't afraid of failure? It's a question that perfectly describes Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone. He operates from a place where fear isn't real. Moving through thoughts of doubt as if they're figments of his imagination. Advertisement The 34-year-old, first-time shot caller of the Jaguars lives boldly. Hunter is Home: Jacksonville Jaguars 'making a statement' with Travis Hunter. It will speak loudly on future It's a confidence many don't expect such a young NFL executive to exude. But for Gladstone, the preparation put into the work he does is enough to put doubt to bed. 'I know every step that I didn't take that related to fear, I regretted,' Gladstone said during his media availability after the first night of the NFL Draft. 'So, that's not something I intend on doing the rest of my life.' In his first draft in Jacksonville, he made the boldest move in franchise history. Gladstone, along with the entirety of the Jaguars' brain trust, conceived and executed a plan to trade for two-way star Travis Hunter. General manager James Gladstone (middle) stands with head coach Liam Coen (right) and Executive Vice President Tony Boselli during the 2025 NFL Draft. Hunter was adamant ahead draft about how he wanted to be used at the next level. And if not? Advertisement 'It's never playing football again,' Hunter told CBS Sports. 'Because I've been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.' The move couldn't be made without embracing Hunter's desire to play on both sides of the ball in the NFL. The same as he's done since his high school days when he emerged as the consensus No. 1 player in the 2022 recruiting class. It was never a doubt for the Jaguars. "There are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team," Gladstone said. "There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself. Advertisement "Travis, while he has a lot to still earn, in our eyes, has the potential to do just that." Jaguars are building bridges one football at a time Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone spins a football in the palm of his hand during the 2025 NFL Draft Gladstone came into the press conference on Friday night holding a football. The Jaguars released a photo of him holding a football while watching the team's voluntary workouts earlier in the offseason. So, why is the football so important? 'Life feels a little better when a ball is in your hand. So, I guess you can just say it's some version of a fidget spinner,' he initially said, downplaying the importance of the ball. It goes further than that, though. When head coach Liam Coen spoke with media members at the NFL Owner's Meetings, he described the power of touch. It's a study about how the best teams touch each other. Advertisement He gave the example of NBA players at the free throw line dapping their teammates up in between shots. It's a culture builder, to him. Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen, left, talks with the team's first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, right, Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. during a press conference. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] More Hunter stories: Jacksonville Jaguars' Travis Hunter reacts to Shedeur Sanders being drafted by Browns The Jaguars created another touchpoint through the sharing of a football. 'Liam and I, like the power of touch, it's our version of touch with each other. We can toss a ball back and forth, brainstorming. So, it's become a version of a bridge,' Gladstone said. That bridge was extended to Hunter upon arrival at the Miller Electric Center on Friday morning. When Hunter entered his press conference later in the day, he was holding the football Gladstone had the previous night. "There are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself. Travis, while he has a lot to still earn, in our eyes, has the potential to do just that.' - Jaguars GM James Gladstone. Advertisement When asked how he got the football, Hunter replied: 'How did I get the football? Walked in the building and took it from [Gladstone].' 'It didn't take long for Travis to produce his first takeaway,' Gladstone joked later in the press conference. In a video Hunter released to his YouTube account, he and Coen were firing the ball back and forth in the hallway of the MEC. In the same video, as Hunter sat in an office with leadership members of the Jaguars, Gladstone said the team has a 'bold (expletive) vision' for Hunter. 'We got you. I don't mean, like, we've acquired you,' he said. 'We got you. We're supporting you. You've got a bold (expletive) vision for what you want to do on planet Earth, and we've got a bold (expletive) vision for you.' Jaguars didn't flinch in Travis Hunter pursuit, set new standard for franchise Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter is portrayed spinning a football on his fingertips. One of the major questions in the lead-up to the draft: Would the team that drafted Hunter be comfortable with him playing on both sides of the football? Advertisement The answer for the Jaguars? A resounding, yes. 'We know that he's going to be able to do both. We feel that in our bones,' Coen said during Hunter's introductory press conference. 'We're going to set that up that way from a schedule, from an operations standpoint, the way that we're going to operate for him, to set him up to have the most success that he can to, in fact, then help the Jacksonville Jaguars become the best version of ourselves.' The Jaguars kept their move very close to the vest. The first real rumblings of a potential trade with the Browns came the night before the draft. Still, at that time it seemed like a far-fetched idea for the Jaguars to jump from No. 5 overall to No. 2. Advertisement It'd cost too much draft capital. But for a man without fear, the capital was never a concern. Especially since he could get some of it back in later-round trades, which is exactly what he did in the third round when he traded back from pick No. 70 and acquired two third-round picks in the 2026 draft in the process. The Jacksonville Jaguars' first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, left, listens as General Manager James Gladstone, right. Answers questions during a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] 'Not being scared is something that goes a long way. Courage goes a long way,' Gladstone said. 'With that, and with inexperience, that's where fear starts to set in, and the fear of the unknown is something that if you can work past, there's no telling what you can get to. 'I think we certainly wanted to reflect that not only in tonight's actions, but in every action that we take in our normal modes of operation.' Advertisement Gladstone implied Hunter could be a franchise-altering pick. It took a franchise-altering decision maker to get the deal done. Now that the Jaguars have one, there's no limit to what boundaries they'll test next. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars GM had the guts snag Travis Hunter in NFL Draft
USA Today
01-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 26, UCLA DE Oluwafemi Oladejo
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 26, UCLA DE Oluwafemi Oladejo The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. During Jeff Hafley's first season as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, the pass rush did disappearing acts in big games far too often. The Packers dismissed defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich and replaced him with DeMarcus Covington, who spent this past season as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. Brian Gutekunst made it crystal clear during the NFL Scouting Combine that they need the defensive line to create more chaos if they are going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. "We need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players," Gutekunst said. "I'm excited about the guys we have in the room, we'll see if we add to it, but that's gotta get better if we're going to accomplish our goals we want to accomplish in this season." Gutekunst doubled down on his faith in the players they have on the roster when he spoke to the media on Monday to kick off the NFL Owner's Meetings. "I think we can do everything we need to do with the players we have on our roster right now," Gutekunst said. "I think there's a significant amount of improvement for those guys, not only in Year 2 of a scheme, but just individually as well. We've invested in that quite a bit already, and I'm excited to see the growth that those guys will have. If the draft happens to bring us some more ammunition in that category, great. But it's not something we have to go chase." More pass rush ammunition during the 2025 NFL Draft could come in the form of one Oluwafemi "Femi" Oladejo. The UCLA Bruin defensive end checks in at No. 26 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A three-star recruit, Oladejo started his collegiate career at California and as an off-ball linebacker. During his two seasons as a Golden Bear, Oladejo recorded 129 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. The California native transferred to UCLA for the 2023 season and recorded 54 tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception. and made the switch to defensive end in 2024. Oladejo made the switch to defensive end this past season and recorded 57 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. During the final four games of the season, Oladejo recorded 19 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, 14 pressures and 14 run stops. "Oladejo was one of the reasons the Bruins went from a fairly middling defense to above average," Ben Bolch, a UCLA beat writer for the Los Angeles Times, said. "As he got more comfortable in his new role as an edge rusher, his production increased and so did the disruptiveness of the defense. It was hard not to imagine how good he could have been had he made the move earlier." At 6-3, and 259 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, Oladejo looks the part of an NFL edge rusher. He's a long-armed pass rusher who has good initial burst off the snap and converts speed to power. Right now, his pass rush plan is full speed ahead at full force. He is new to the position and doesn't have a detailed pass rush plan. However, he's able to knock offensive tackles backward with his physical and violent pass rush style. To go along with his 4.5 sacks, Oladejo also recorded 33 pressures. "He's got a good combination of size and speed, with his technique improving every game he played at his new position," Bolch said. "His ability to not only get past the tackle but complete the play once he got into the backfield was what made him so effective." Oladjo is strong at the point of attack and uses his length to keep offensive tackles at a distance. He has strong, heavy hands and is a violent tackler. He showcased outstanding closing burst to make plays down the line. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 29 run stops this past season at his new position. "This is where having a sturdy build combined with good instincts helped," Bolch said. "Oladejo continually improved at diagnosing plays, putting himself in position to stop the run. His strength helped him turn into a brick wall that ballcarriers had trouble getting past." Fit with the Packers If the Packers pass rush is going to be a more consistent force in 2025, it's likely going to be due to bounce-back seasons from the likes of Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark and Lukas Van Ness enjoying a breakout season during his third year in the league. Even if all those things happen, the Packers still need to add an edge rusher or two during the draft. Oladejo could be a potential target on Day 2 of the draft. "The fact that he's already so good at a coveted position but retains massive upside makes Oladejo a steal," Bolch said. "He's only going to get better and have a bigger impact as his NFL career progresses. With his first-step quickness and power, Oladejo could turn into a real force off the edge once he develops a more detailed pass rush plan. He's the type of player that Gutekunst could roll the dice on during Day 2 of the draft as they look to add more juice to the pass rush.
