The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Travis Hunter with the No.2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, for a purpose never seen before: to be a full-time player on both sides of the ball.
Hunter will be entering his second season.
He has faced plenty of doubters since he was drafted, mostly about his ability to play both receiver and cornerback, as he did in college.
His rookie season got off to a modest start. Hunter compiled 28 receptions for 268 yards and one touchdown in his first seven career games. He recorded his first and only 100-yard receiving game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7.
Hunter’s playtime heavily favored offense, taking two-thirds of the team’s offensive snaps compared with just under 36% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Unfortunately, that game in London turned out to be his last of the season. Hunter tore his lateral collateral (LCL) ligament in his right knee during practice the following week and underwent season-ending surgery. At this point, concerns about his long-term durability seemed to be validated.
New Year, Same Question for Travis Hunter
Going into his sophomore season, the question remains: Can he maintain this role without significant wear on his body in the NFL?
So far, he has been on schedule with his rehab and has been slowly working his way back onto the field.
Head coach Liam Coen remains adamant about Hunter playing wide receiver and cornerback as his rehab continues.
“I think it’s kind of an unspoken understanding of knowing that there are some depth things (at cornerback) that he can come in and help us,” Coen said.
“But the focus (of the talks) have just been about the day-to-day and, ‘How are you feeling today? How are you doing?’ and getting to see him smiling and moving around again in the facility.”
What’s Next?
Hunter showed flashes of brilliance on both sides of the ball in the short time he played. The potential to be a two-way star is clear, but how Coen and the Jaguars decide to use Hunter could depend on injury concerns in his rookie season.
Jacksonville hasn’t made any substantial additions in the secondary this offseason, so it’s reasonable to expect him to have a significantly larger defensive role than last year, likely evening out his snap count numbers on offense and defense.
Time will tell how well he recovers from his torn LCL, but current signs have been promising. He has impressed the organization, and the Jaguars have high hopes for him in the 2026 NFL season.
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