After being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, WR Travis Hunter was faced with high expectations to hit his stride from the opening bell. However, it’s likely that Hunter won’t live up to the hype after all.
Nevertheless, he closed out the Jaguars mini-camp brimming with confidence. The versatile player didn’t play both offense and defense in the same practice until the last day of practice.
Jaguars coach Liam Coen hinted that there is more to come from Hunter, per Josh Alper of NBC’s Pro Football Talk.
“Yeah, I think so,” Coen said. “That’s definitely what we have to build towards for training camp and then, obviously, in season. Knowing that, during practice, he’s gonna have to do both. He wants to do it. It’s not as if it’s something where he can’t handle. He wants to do that more often. He wants more, and that’s a good thing. However, we must also protect him from himself at times and ensure we emerge from this phase healthy. But that is the plan moving forward.”
The Cleveland Browns originally drafted Hunter as the 2nd pick in the NFL. Shortly thereafter, the Jaguars traded up to get Hunter in a blockbuster move.
He is coming off a consequential career at the University of Colorado. In late 2024, Hunter was honored with the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football.
Ultimately, Hunter finished his career at Colorado with 272 receptions, 3,963 receiving yards, and 48 touchdowns. Along the way, he developed a unique status for being an effective wide receiver as well as a defensive back.
So, will Hunter get to showcase his many talents in his first season?
The likelihood of Travis Hunter playing double duty for the Jaguars
It is more of a given that Hunter will start the season on the offensive end. However, the Jaguars are looking to eventually develop Hunter into a ubiquitous talent on both sides of the ball.
That positionality does come with a risk when considering what is expected of a player to take on so much. The physical and mental toll can be agonizing.
Meanwhile, Hunter has indicated he is up for that challenge, and the Jaguars are looking to meet him where he’s at in the future.
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