JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL draft is next week and the Jaguars have the No. 5 pick. With a new regime led by head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone, it’s a new era for the franchise. The News4JAX sports staff is hammering out all sorts of draft content in the lead-up to the draft.
In this scenario, we looked at trading up for the No. 5 pick using Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator. We then let ChatGPT assign a grade for the deals.
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Kyle Ashley
The trade: I traded up from No. 5 to New York’s spot at No. 3.
What I gave up and got: Probably not the best trade but I think I am basically getting two players. I gave up the No. 5 pick and the No. 36 pick for the Giants No. 3 pick.
Who I took with the pick: Travis Hunter. Hunter isn’t just a cornerback, he’s a football unicorn. Last season at Colorado, he put up elite numbers on both sides of the ball, proving he’s not just versatile, he’s special. He’s consistently ranked among the top prospects in this year’s draft, if not the top.
Hunter is a natural playmaker with elite instincts, ball skills, and jaw-dropping athleticism. Defensively, his range, anticipation, and ability to contest throws make him a nightmare for quarterbacks. He can erase an entire side of the field, and he’s still getting better. His growth in technique and coverage discipline this past season was undeniable.
Bottom line: Jacksonville doesn’t just need another defensive back, they need a difference-maker. Hunter is exactly that. If the Jaguars want to show the league they mean business, trading up to land Hunter makes that statement loud and clear.
ChatGPT’s analysis
🏈 Final grade: A
- Positives: ✅ Smart, controlled aggression — didn’t overpay. ✅ Still leaves you with plenty of picks to help Trevor Lawrence and the roster. ✅ Got your guy — and stayed flexible.
- Negatives: ❌ Losing No. 36 hurts a little — early second round is premium player territory. ❌ No early WR/OL fallback if needed later in Round 2.
🧠 Summary:
“Trading up for a franchise cornerstone without blowing up the future? That’s championship-team behavior. Travis Hunter brings the swagger and talent Jacksonville has been missing — and they got him at a discount.”
Justin Barney
The trade: I traded up from No. 5 to Cleveland’s spot at No. 2.
What I gave up and got: On the surface, it was a lot. I didn’t want to risk Cleveland taking Hunter, so I had to give up a bit to move up. I sent the fifth pick, the 88th pick, the 126th pick and third-round selections in 2026 and 2027. I received the No. 2 pick and the No. 200 pick. On the Jimmy Johnson draft pick chart, the picks I sent out carried a total point value of 1,968.6 and received a value in return of 2,611. So, I came away with a surplus, according to the chart.
Who I took with the pick: Travis Hunter is arguably the best player in the draft. He fills a couple needs for Jacksonville. I envision Hunter getting reps on both sides of the ball as a rookie, and then ultimately settling into one. I’d lean toward Hunter as a cornerback primarily in his first season, with receiver snaps every game, too. Slam dunk pick for the Jaguars. I did give up a good bit of valuable third-round selections, but Hunter is worth it.
ChatGPT’s analysis
🏈 Final grade: B+
- Positives: ✅ You got an elite talent at a premium position. ✅ You stayed inside the top five. ✅ You didn’t give up a future first — that’s huge.
- Negatives: ❌ Gave up a lot of mid-round ammo (which hurts in a deep draft). ❌ Your margin for error is now smaller in 2026/2027. ❌ No flexibility to move around later unless you re-acquire picks.
🧠 Summary:
“The Jaguars made a win-now move to get a rare star in Travis Hunter — a bold swing for a team looking to reset the tone on defense. The cost was steep, but if Hunter lives up to the hype, no one in Duval will care about a few lost third-rounders.”
Alessandra Pontbriand
The trade: I traded up from No. 5 to New York’s spot at No. 3.
What I gave up and got: I gave up the No. 5 pick, No. 221 pick in this year’s draft, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick. All for the No. 3 pick this year.
Who I took with the pick: Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. The Jaguars defense was abysmal last season. Carter is the best pass rusher in the NFL draft and can be an immediate help. Next season you could have Carter, Travon Walker, and Josh Hines-Allen all starting on defense. That’s intimidating. I don’t think the Jaguars are trading up at all. They will stay at No. 5. If they want to then the only prospect worth getting is Carter.
ChatGPT’s analysis:
🏈 Final grade: B
- Positives: ✅ Cost very little from this year’s draft — you stay strong in 2024. ✅ Carter boosts your defense immediately with speed and physicality. ✅ Keeps the Jaguars aggressive and in “win-now” mode.
- Negatives: ❌ Future second-rounders are premium picks — losing that stings long-term. ❌ Linebacker still isn’t ideal value at No. 3 overall. ❌ Carter will have insane expectations given the investment.
🧠 Summary:
“The Jaguars smartly protected their 2024 draft but paid for it down the line, betting Abdul Carter can be the defensive enforcer they desperately need. A bold move — but the pressure on Carter to be great, not just good, is massive.”
Jamal St. Cyr
The trade: I traded up from No. 5 to get to the Giants pick at 3.
What I gave up and got: Decent trade. I sent out the fifth pick, a third-rounder (pick 88), a fifth-round pick (142) and a seventh-round pick (221).
Who I took with the pick: Abdul Carter. I tried to get up to No. 2 but it cost to much. So, I went with Carter. There is some real smoke around Jalon Walker to the Jaguars and everything that Walker can do, Carter can do even better. I’ll be honest, I started this exercise with a goal of grabbing Travis Hunter but I am happy with getting Carter and giving up next to nothing. Just imagine Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker and Abdul Carter all on the field on third down going after the quarterback. Just say, “Sacksonville.” with me.
Chat GPT’s analysis:
🏈 Final grade: B-
- Positives: ✅ You didn’t overpay to move up. ✅ Carter is a badass defensive weapon — fits the “speed and violence” mold. ✅ Could transform the Jaguars’ front 7.
- Negatives: ❌ Top 3 is really high for a linebacker. ❌ Better value might have been available at 5 without trading. ❌ Carter will have huge pressure to not just be good — but be elite immediately.
🧠 Summary:
“Abdul Carter could be a monster in the NFL, but taking him this high — and trading up to do it — puts a massive spotlight on his development. If he becomes Jacksonville’s Micah Parsons, it’s genius. If not, it’ll be a ‘what-if’ for years.”
