The Jacksonville Jaguars pushed all their chips in for Travis Hunter.
The unique, two-way star out of Colorado now has a starting point for what is sure to be an interesting career.
Could Hunter play cornerback and wide receiver? What if he’s forced to play just one side of the ball? Hunter has said he would “quit football” if limited to one position, but in the end it will be up to head coach Liam Coen and his staff.
What will Travis Hunter do this year? There are a lot of possibilities.
Travis Hunter gets Pro Bowl nominations for wide receiver and cornerback
If Travis Hunter had his way this would be the ideal scenario.
He would get to play significant reps on both sides of the ball and excel as a defensive back and a wideout.
Last year at Colorado, Hunter had 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver. He added 35 tackles and 5 interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.
Coen has expressed support for Hunter getting time at two positions.
“We’ve had those conversations, and we have to be fluid,” Coen said. “From a scheduling standpoint, we have it all laid out, but we also have to have the ability to be agile and be fluid on specific days. If we feel like he didn’t get enough work on one side of the ball the previous day, then we need to be able to move forward and get him those reps the next day.”
Hunter gets snaps at a third position: Quarterback
In a recent YouTube video of Hunter visiting the Jaguars’ facility and meeting Coen, the rookie offered his services as a thrower of the football.
“You know I can play quarterback too, right? I can throw the ball, so on trick plays,” Hunter said as he tossed a football at Coen.
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It would not be surprising to see Hunter as a gadget option across the field. Not only could he be a quarterback, he could also be a threat out of the backfield.
Coen is a young, creative mind and he will try to involve Jacksonville’s shiny new toy as much as possible.
Travis Hunter breaks Brian Thomas Jr.’s rookie records
Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. make one of the most lethal one-two punches in the NFL.
Thomas Jr. just set multiple Jaguars’ rookie records last season. He holds the record for receptions (87), receiving yards (1,282), and touchdowns (10).
Could Hunter come in one year later and one-up his new teammate?
The unicorn athlete was unstoppable in college, but it’ll be a whole new level of competition.
L’Jarius Snead of the Titans and Derek Stingley of the Texans are both excellent cornerbacks that Hunter will see twice a year each.
He may benefit from having Thomas Jr. to draw some safety help, but BTJ will also draw plenty of touches too.
Whatever Hunter ends up doing in his rookie year, it will be worth keeping your eyes on.
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