Travis Hunter is getting ready to make history in the NFL, as he attempts to be the first player to play on both sides of the ball on a consistent basis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars rookie has work most of his training camp as a wide receiver, a position he played at an excellent level with the Colorado Buffaloes.
The former Heisman Trophy winner has now taken duties as a cornerback, where he also shined as he locked down some of the best wideouts in college football. Hunter is already considered an early contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and if he shows during the regular season what he has displayed in preseason, he could run away with it.
Hunter plays cornerback with ease
The Jaguars‘ rookie sensation Travis Hunter showed up for his first NFL training camp and immediately turned heads with his athleticism and superb skills. During the first days he focused exclusively on offense, but now he’s playing cornerback, and made it look easy.
Head coach Liam Coen is easing him in with just defensive reps for now. But Hunter knows what’s coming. Soon, he’ll be juggling two playbooks and playing both sides of the ball like he did in college… and Jacksonville expects him to be great at both.
Hunter didn’t just bring talent to the NFL. He brought drive. Whether it’s routes, coverages, or terminology, the No. 2 pick is treating camp like a classroom. And so far, he’s acing it. Travis could be the face of the NFL for many years to come, and as fans, we are so happy that we can see it in real time.
Hunter sees his challenges as blessings
Travis Hunter understands what the Jacksonville Jaguars expect out of him, and the superstar is not running away from it. “It’s just a blessing,” Hunter said. “They actually trust me, they put a lot on my plate, but I just have to go out there and continue to attack the work that they give me. It’s the same as everybody else, but I just have a little bit of extra work on my plate, and I just continue to switch between the meetings.”
A priority in the Jaguars‘ plan has been to use Hunter’s time efficiently. On days when he has worked “exclusively” with the offense in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 situations, he also worked individually with defensive coaches. And vice versa.
“It’s probably harder logistically for us as coaches to navigate it and make sure that we’re making use of all his time,” Coen said. “I think it doesn’t bother him as much. These next few days will be very important, though, because he was on defense today (Friday). He’ll have an off day tomorrow (Saturday) making sure that he’s ready to go for the next few days.
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