The intrigue surrounding Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter entering in Year 1 of his NFL career was whether he would maintain his two-way star potential. Would the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner excel at both wide receiver and cornerback?
Selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Jaguars, the talent and fascination surrounding Hunter’s two-way hype held the spotlight on him until his season was cut short due a knee injury suffered during practice ahead of Week 9.
Although he didn’t set the league on fire on either side of the ball, Hunter did show flashes of the impact he could be on either side of the ball. As a receiver, Hunter hauled in 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown. As a cornerback, he tallied 15 tackles, and three passes defensed.
Travis Hunter showed glimpses of greatness on both sides of the ball
The small sample size doesn’t flip the debate in either direction as far as the player goes, but when it comes to team needs and what would serve Hunter better as a potential NFL star is if there was more dedication to the defensive side of the ball where Hunter excelled while at the University of Colorado.
With the Jaguars having more of a need at corner, the plan, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, is to utilize Hunter’s talent more as a cornerback while still using him on offense part time.
“They think Travis Hunter can be elite at cornerback and still be an impact player on offense,” Wolfe said during an appearance on The Insiders earlier in February.
That is the consensus, but does Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and the team fully ready to give up the idea of using him as a complete two-way star?
Coen’s focus when asked during an appearance on the NFL Daily podcast was simply on Hunter’s rehabilitation, calling the season-ending injury “a minor setback for a major comeback” and further indicated the team will evaluate the best usage for Hunter in the spring.
But, based on positional need, the Jaguars have a nice trio of receivers in Brian Thomas Jr, Jacoby Meyers and Parker Washington, who emerged in the absence of Hunter. So, there is not much urgency to insert Hunter on offense as a starter as there is on the defensive side where the team is facing free agency decisions on pending free agents Montaric Brown and Great Newsome II.
What the NFL found out about Travis Hunter
The jury is still out on Hunter and what level of player he will be in the NFL. With his rookie season cut short, there is still some unknown surrounding Hunter. What the NFL did learn is the talent is real and when put in the best situation or position to succeed, he will be an impact player.
He did demonstrate some in a breakout game offensively with 8 catches for 101 yards. But where the Jaguars will need him most in 2026 and onward is as a top-level corner. Can he be a good two-player player in the NFL…absolutely. But to be truly elite, he will need to dedicate most of his time on one side of the ball. To help the Jaguars improve on a 13-4 season and grow as an AFC contender, that positional excellence will come at cornerback.
In all, it’s not about the player, it’s about his fit and where he will serve best to help the team win.