Coach Prime slams Jacksonville for sidelining a generational two-way talent, revealing the franchise never sought his expert advice on maximizing the Heisman winner’s rare and versatile skillset.
Deion Sanders continues to question how the Jacksonville Jaguars use Travis Hunter.
Sanders, who coached Hunter in college at Jackson State University in 2022 and the University of Colorado in 2023 and 2024, has long been a critic of how the Jaguars have handled Hunter's unique ability.
Coach Sanders, one of the greatest players in NFL history before becoming a head coach at the college level, was miffed that the Jaguars never contacted him for any pointers on how to best coach Hunter. In an appearance on The Barbershop podcast last month, he expressed his disappointment.
“Even a guy like Travis Hunter, being drafted to Jacksonville, and I’ve had him for the last three,” Deion told Garrett Bush. “Don’t you think you would want to talk to me to let me know, to ask me how — what gets him going and what backs him off, and what, like, you wouldn’t want to know that?”
"Primetime" was again asked his opinion on whether Jacksonville should use Hunter's rare two-way talent full-time. The Jaguars used Hunter more as a wide receiver during his rookie season in 2025, and look to be focusing on using him primarily at cornerback this year. They have maintained that Hunter will continue to play on offense occasionally. Coach Prime believes not playing him at both spots full-time is a waste of Hunter's talents.
Sanders was asked if he thinks Jacksonville will come to him for advice on the matter, to which he promptly indicated that he won't be holding his breath.
“They’re not going to ask me,” Sanders told D.J. Saddiqi of Covers.com. “I thank God that you’re asking me. The kid won the Heisman Trophy playing both sides of the ball. That’s all I’ve got to say on that.”
As to be expected with Sanders, that was not all he had to say.
“There’s no comparison to what he’s able to produce on the field,” Sanders said. “It’s no comparison. I can’t say who I would compare him to, because I would be lessening that person. That’s not fair to him or the persons that I’m comparing it to. He’s different, man.”
Is Deion Sanders Right?
There is no denying that Deion Sanders was able to get the most out of Hunter, both as a full-time offensive and a full-time defensive player. Coach Sanders believes that the Jaguars have been leaving one of the NFL's most-talented and special players on the sidelines far too often.
Is he right?
Hunter has All-Pro-level talent both at WR and CB, and a rare ability to impact the game on both sides of ball. It does seem that Jacksonville would be better served using Hunter at both spots full-time.
However, it is easy to see why the Jaguars are reluctant to deploy Hunter the way Sanders thinks they should. Jacksonville has invested a lot into Hunter as one of the faces of its franchise, and believes that playing him 120+ snaps a game could shorten his career.
Also, Hunter was only able to get through seven games as a rookie before a knee Injury ended his season. The Jaguars' main concern with Hunter is having him get through an entire season.
Jacksonville also has the benefit of a loaded group of wide receivers, even without Hunter. The trio of Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington is among the best in the NFL. The team believes playing Hunter full-time on offense is an unnecessary risks, especially with the talent already on the field.
Final Thoughts
Whether you agree with Sanders or not, there is probably nobody else who knows more about how to coach Travis Hunter than him. His belief that any team is wrong not to play Hunter every snap isn't just empty criticism. It stems from the fact that he was able to use Hunter that way without any adverse effects. In fact, Sanders' usage of Hunter is what made him such a tremendous and valuable prospect.
However, Sanders has no say in how the Jaguars use their players. If Jacksonville wants to only use Hunter at receiver sparingly, that is the team's decision to make.
Whether at corner or receiver, Hunter will be one of the Jaguars' most important players not only this season, but for the next decade. If he becomes an All-Pro cornerback this year, it will be hard for anyone to say they used him incorrectly.
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