DeAngelo Hall believes Travis Hunter’s elite ball skills will strike fear into quarterbacks as the Jaguars shift the two-way phenom to a primary defensive role. Will Hunter reach his full potential and become an All-Pro cornerback?
The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense could be adding an All-Pro talent in the secondary this season.
The Jaguars plan to use second-year phenom Travis Hunter primarily at cornerback in 2026 after the two-way star played mostly wide receiver as a rookie. Hunter's rookie season ended after only seven games due to a knee injury, and Jacksonville should finally be able to fully unleash him on the rest of the NFL this year.
Hunter's ability to contribute on both offense and defense makes him a unique talent, but his ability to dominate on either side of the ball is what makes him truly special.
The Jaguars have one of the best WR trios in the league with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington, allowing them to have Hunter focus on defense in 2026. Although he will still see time at receiver, Hunter will be given the opportunity and enough snaps to develop into one of the league's top corners.
Don't believe me? Ask DeAngelo Hall, who made three Pro Bowls during his 14-year NFL career.
Speaking with Hard Rock Bet, Hall raved about Hunter's Potential as a cornerback and can't wait to see what he can do now that the position is his primary responsibility.
Hall Believes That Offenses Will Fear Hunter
In the interview, Hall spoke about Hunter's ability to strike fear into opposing offenses and quarterbacks, something he believes will carry over from college into the NFL.
"I know some guy who coached him at Colorado, and they'd always call me to say, 'This guy has some of the best ball skills I've ever seen.' You saw that when he played receiver, and you even saw it sometimes when he was playing DB," Hall explained. "So most quarterbacks or offenses aren't necessarily scared of throwing the football unless they think the DB they're targeting can take it away from them."
Hall went on to say, "That's the fear factor Travis Hunter has at cornerback because he can definitely create takeaways. I'm looking forward to watching Hunter play through a healthy season where he doesn't have to go back and forth between positions a lot."
Will Hunter Become A True Shutdown Corner?
Coming out of Colorado, there was a belief that Hunter had All-Pro-caliber talent at both receiver and cornerback. Many scouts and evaluators actually thought his ceiling at CB was even higher than as a receiver. Most teams wanted him to focus on one or the other in the NFL, but he was adamant that he wanted to continue playing both.
Jacksonville obliged and traded up with the Cleveland Browns to draft Hunter second overall with the intention of him playing both ways.
Now that the Jaguars plan to use him mostly on defense, will Hunter become a true shutdown corner?
He has all of the traits needed to be a lockdown CB. Hunter has explosive speed, is sticky in coverage, has elite ball skills, and has even bulked up over the offseason.
All the pieces are there for Hunter to become one of the best corners in the NFL. He just needs to put them all together. Though he only played 36% of Jacksonville's defense snaps before his injury as a rookie, Hunter gained valuable experience and will now gain ever more.
Final Thoughts
Once his experience catches up to his enormous talent, Hunter will become a beast for the Jaguars' secondary. His raw ability is almost unmatched in the NFL, and Jacksonville is fortunate to have a generational type of player.
DeAngelo Hall, himself an excellent cornerback, easily recognizes the kind of CB that Hunter can be. Hall is excited about the heights Hunter can reach on defense.
Every Jaguars' fan should be, as well.
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