The NFL isn’t used to players like Travis Hunter. Two-way starts are the stuff of football folklore— relics from a bygone era, romanticized highlight reels and Hall of Fame tributes, but with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hunter is turning the concept into reality, and early signs suggest it might actually work.
During a recent team scrimmage at EverBank Stadium, Hunter logged meaningful reps on both sides of the ball— just as he did in college. He played 17 offensive snaps and 21 defensive snaps, catching three passes for 43 yards while also contributing at cornerback. It was the first time in Jaguars camp that the rookie was allowed to perform in both roles in a full-team setting, and the results were promising.
The performance is a validation of the Jaguars plan for the No. 2 overall pick: develop him slowly on both offense and defense, increasing his workload in stages while gauging out endurance, production, and impact. Jacksonville coaches began camps alternating Hunter between offensive and defensive days. Now, he’s transitioning to taking snaps on both sides in a single practice, simulating what the team hopes to see in real games.
From Colorado superstar to NFL Unicorn
Hunter’s skill set at Colorado set the stage for his NFL experiment. In his Heisman-winning and final collegiate season, he played 1,460 snaps — 714 on offense and 746 on defense. He tallied 35 total tackles, 11 pass deflections and 4 interceptions on defense while on offense, he had 95 receptions on 1,258 receiving yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
His two-way dominance made him one of the msot electrifying players in college football. That versatility is what him earned him the label of a “generational athlete” and what made Jacksonville so confident in trading up to the second overall pick to get him — despite the unusual nature of his role.
Jaguars Long-Term Vision
The Jaguars are building Hunter’s role deliberately. Through the first week of training camp, he’s logged 48 snaps with the first-team offense and 47 with the first team defense. Coaches have been impressed with how quickly he’s picked up both playbooks and how seamlessly he has shifted between assignments.
Hunter’s 21 yards reception during the scrimmage showcased his explosiveness as a receiver, while his ability to keep up with veteran wideouts in coverage reminded oversevers of his elite defensive instincts. Few rookies are asked to do as much, and even fewer deliver this smoothly.
The Jaguars aren’t rushing him into a full-time, two way starting job just yet, but their training camp approach is designed to test his limits and determine how much he can handle in real-time situations. Based on early evidence, Hunter might be able to do more than anyone imagined.
Liam Coen also spoke highly of Hunter after Friday’s night scrimmage.
“I thought it was great,” Coen said to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. “We got him the work that we wanted to get with him on offense early on and then able to get him on defense and get him enough reps. That was what we were hoping to do tonight in terms of just get him on both sides of the ball, quality work. I know he [didn’t] get much [action at cornerback] because the D-line was getting a good rush, so it was a little hard to see. I thought when he had the ball in his hands and he operated, he operated at a high level.”
The Outlook for Travis Hunter's rookie year
No rookie faces a steeper learning curve than Travis Hunter. He’s not just learning one NFL position— he’s learning two, and doing so at the speed of the professional game, but his high football IQ, athleticism and his will to improve give him a chance to succeed.
Jacksonville’s hope is that Hunter won’t just be a novelty— he’ll be a difference-maker. If his body holds up and he continues to progesss at this pace, the Jaguars may have drafted one of the most dynamic and versatile players in NFL history.
Hunter’s journey is just beginning, but it’s already one of the most fascinating stories in football. The Travis Hunter experience isn’t just hype— it’s becoming a reality, and Jacksonville is here for it.