JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Michael from Orange Park, FL

Well, it's in the books. At least we can say that. I must say that once it got past the first round, this one felt … meh. What say you, Zone?

The Jaguars on Saturday selected six players on the third and final day of the 2025 NFL Draft – a busy end to what by any definition was a significant, eventful and franchise-shaping three days. Was it splashy? Was it great viewing for all three days? I confess that after three decades covering drafts, I care far less about "splash" and "viewability" than about teams using equity to wisely build the roster. While you never know for sure the quality of a draft class in the short-term, it seems from this view that the Jaguars followed a clear plan. The Jaguars were the biggest league story of Day 1 when they moved up three spots to select the draft's biggest star, Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter – and nothing the Jaguars did in this draft was going to match that for splash or excitement. The Jaguars were more methodical after that, with General Manager James Gladstone in his first draft executing trades and maneuvering around the draft board in Rounds 3 and 4. They addressed offensive line, secondary and running back with players they believe make them better for the short- and long-term. Was it exciting? I have no idea. Was it successful? We'll learn that in the coming years – as is the case with any draft. Stay tuned.

Jesse from Texas

Hopefully you and others understand better now why some of the fans were opposed to winning meaningless games at the end of last season. Instead of one short-sighted and quickly forgotten victory against the Tennessee Titans late last season, the coaches and management should have been thinking long term. We could have drafted Hunter this year without giving up any picks, specifically the first-rounder next season. It's like a person wanting to lose weight and get healthy, but decides they'd rather indulge on desserts for a weeks. Yeah, it feels great in the moment, but sometimes you have to sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term gain.

Hopefully everyone reading this with one eye and half sense understands that pretty much everyone understands why fans want teams to lose games at the end of bad seasons to improve draft positions. It's a very easy concept to understand. Even I get it. What's apparently not as easy to understand is coaches and management don't think this way – and purposely losing to improve draft position is something that rarely, if ever, happens in the NFL. You can refuse to accept this if you like. You can worry about it. You can get angry about it. You can discuss it. You can bemoan it. But it's how it is and it's not going to change. Teams aren't going to lose intentionally for draft position. They're just not.

Rob from Fleming Island

John, Gladstone is amazing in the way he speaks about his players, team vision and more. Doesn't guarantee wins, but it sure breeds excitement and hope.

Yes, it does.

Rich from Dacula, GA

So, with all the excitement of the first round, who is NOW the face of the Jaguars? Will the egos of these players create more competition?

Hunter is a special kind of player and the Jaguars showed his importance on that front by trading up in the fashion they did. He and quarterback Trevor Lawrence figure to be the faces of the franchise moving forward. They're both competitive people, but they're teammates. They won't be competing with each other.

Brendan from The Moral High Ground

Everyone needs to calm down a bit. Ransaw was drafted to play SAFE-ty, and Wyatt Milum was drafted to play guard. (He didn't give up a sack ever in college.) Let my dude Gladstone cook. Go Jags!

My experience tells me that people get upset when things happen they don't expect or understand. Because many fans don't know everything about every NFL team or every college prospect, the NFL Draft often is ripe with fan anger and angst. It was pretty clear entering the draft that the Jaguars likely would address safety and offensive line. They did that in Round 3 by selecting safety Caleb Ransaw and guard Wyatt Milum. Fans reacting negatively to the selections … welcome to the draft, I suppose.

Ed from Jax by Lionel Playworld

If Hunter's career is comparable to that of Deion Sanders, would that validate the draft capital we spent on him? Should we expect Hunter to be no lower than our third wide receiver and cornerback on the team? What should we expect to see of Hunter on the field next year and over the next four years?

These are going be fascinating questions as Hunter's career moves forward – and they're entirely fair questions. They're also going to be tricky questions because it's tricky to find accurate comparisons and discussion points for a player who's doing something unique – and Hunter absolutely is attempting to have a unique career playing both wide receiver and cornerback professionally. As for your specific questions … Sanders was a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, and if Hunter is a Hall of Fame player at any position, selecting him would be a good decision. I expect Hunter to play a significant role on offense and defense as a rookie, which I expect will mean being a starting wide receiver and being used extensively at corner – though it could be a while before we know exactly his role at corner. I also expect you will see Hunter play on both sides of the ball a lot – as a rookie and throughout the next four-to-five seasons. That's why the Jaguars moved up to get him. That's the reality and the Jaguars are, as Gladstone likes to say, "leaning into" that reality.

Tommy from Duval

Loved Owner Shad Khan's statement about great players versus draft capital. I know it was a long time ago but I remember when we traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey for running back Travis Etienne Jr. and outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson (while taking cornerback CJ Henderson!). I'm not saying draft capital is useless, but great players are what lead to Super Bowls, not a ton of lotto tickets that have weird point valuations on obscure websites. I don't know if Hunter is going to be what he's projected to be, but sometimes you have to believe in something.

Pretty much.

Richard from Jacksonville

Does the fact that Travis Hunter is already financially set due to NIL reduce some of the risk in taking a player high in the draft? Before NIL there was always a concern that after receiving that kind of payday would result in a lack of motivation going forward?

I expect as a general rule that influx of NIL money could help in this regard. If a player was going to lose motivation after getting paid big money, it's possible that now would be evident sometime in his college career. But I don't expect this would have been an issue with Hunter anyway. He seems motivated beyond money and the Jaguars would not have selected him if they expected this to be an issue.

Scott from Orlando, FL

Did you catch the Shedeur Sanders telethon this weekend?

It was, as my dear old Uncle Otto used to say, "A lot."

Kevin from Brentwood HS

JO- How much is the commish getting paid to ride a beach cruiser around and look like a complete jacka$$?

It's possible we have a new reader or two among us, as often happens around the NFL Draft. As such, it's a good time to remind people that here in the O-Zone it's important to be nice. This even applies to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Mark from Archer

Wow. So the Jags have found a new way to mess things up, giving up next year's first-round pick to draft Hunter. I no longer have faith in the new Jaguars GM.

And one not fer Hunter. Or Gladstone, for that matter.

Anita from Springfield

I get that later rounds are for this to some extent, but with later-round picks it sounds like a lot of what I've seen before. "Core special teamer" has been used to describe all of them. I don't need EVERY pick to be a star, but I'm kind of sick of special team studs and want some more frontline guys. Idk, just feels underwhelming.

This email came Saturday shortly after the Jaguars selected Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten and Notre Dame linebacker Jay Kiser early in Round 4. But while both players have traits that should make them valuable on special teams, I don't get the impression that the team views either as "just" a core special teams player. The team certainly doesn't view Ransaw that way, either. Remember: Gladstone came to the Jaguars from the Los Angeles Rams with a reputation for targeting quality starters later in the draft. It shouldn't be surprising if a player or two selected late in Round 3 or later belong in that category.

JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL

John - This is starting to feel pretty real. From your view, what is the vibe at the MEC?

Upbeat.