Les Snead disciple makes a mind-blowing trade as Jaguars GM

James Gladstone wants to prove to Les Snead that he can make bigger trades than he did

James Gladstone must want to prove to Les Snead that he can make even bigger draft trades as a general manager than his mentor has ever done with the Los Angeles Rams. In one of the most unbelievable draft day trades in NFL history, Gladstone traded the fifth overall pick, a second round pick, a fourth round pick, and Jacksonville’s 2026 first round picks to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the second overall pick.

The Jaguars GM then used that pick to select Travis Hunter, an extraordinary one-of-a-kind prospect who plays both wide receiver and cornerback at a high level, with the second overall choice.

However, let’s just repeat that trade again:

The Jaguars traded picks 5, 36, 126, and a first round pick in 2026 — which could be “who knows” how high — in order to get one player. And he’s not a quarterback.

Les Snead is also known for major first round pick trades, including moving back (when Robert Griffin III was involved) and up (when Jared Goff was the player), but Gladstone’s deal is exceptionally rare.

Gladstone has bet the farm in his first major move as a GM, trading a first and a second and another first to get a cornerback/wide receiver. It’s a major splash for Jacksonville, a franchise that has never made the Super Bowl, but the move is reminiscent of deals for Herschel Walker and Ricky Williams.

And we know how those worked out.

How do you grade Gladstone’s first draft trade as a GM? Did he just help bail out the Browns from a situation that looked unwinnable?