Travis Hunter doesn’t want to play it safe. He doesn’t want to ease into the NFL. He doesn’t even want to specialize.
What he wants is to become the first full-time two-way player the league has seen in over 60 years. And he’s not asking for permission.
After going No. 2 overall to the Jaguars in the 2025 NFL Draft, Hunter made it clear he wasn’t giving up either position. “I’d rather retire than give up one side of the ball,” he told reporters during minicamp. And based on his Heisman-winning season at Colorado-where he played over 1,400 snaps across both sides-he might actually be able to pull it off.
But it didn’t take long for the NFL chatter to start.
On an episode ofBussin’ With the Boys, Travis Kelce praised Hunter’s athleticism but suggested teams could work him down by going deep on him all game. “Just run go routes at him every play,”Kelce said, grinning. “Make him chase.” It wasn’t said with malice-but it was a challenge.
The Football World Responds-Quickly
On FS1’s First Things First, Nick Wright called out the flaw in Kelce’s idea. “Great players don’t get tired. The greatest operate on another level,” he said. Then he pointed to Hunter’s insane college workload-713 offensive snaps, 748 on defense-and shrugged. “He’s already done more than most NFL guys do, and at altitude.”
Former head coach Eric Mangini chimed in too. “You’re going to make your star receiver run deep every play and not throw him the ball? That’s a waste of talent. That’s not how NFL schemes work.“
The deeper story? Hunter doesn’t need to prove his energy. He already has. What he does need is a system that lets him be dangerous without burning out-and that’s exactly what the Jaguars are building.
Jaguars insider John Shipley recently said on the Jaguars Insider Podcast that the team isn’t just giving Hunter a gimmick role. “They’ve got a real plan. If defenses obsess over Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr. is going to feast on the other side.”
Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is also all-in. “He’s locked in. This kid wants all the smoke.”
And Jaguars EVP and Hall of Famer Tony Boselli may have said it best: “He’s exceeded everything we thought-physically, mentally, and professionally. I’m most impressed with who he is off the field.”
Hunter’s message remains unchanged: he’s not interested in compromise.
The real test is coming soon-October 6, Monday Night Football-when the Jaguars host Kelce’s Chiefs in what might be the most anticipated rookie-vs-veteran moment of the year.
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