With each passing week, Travis Hunter is taking another huge step forward in his development as a cornerback.

In only his second season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and first playing defense full-time, Hunter has not only become the team's best cornerback, but is becoming one of the best in the entire NFL.

In Jacksonville's nail-biting Week 4 road victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Hunter played the best game of his young career. One week after recording his first career interception against the Patriots, Hunter nearly had his second. He picked off a Joe Burrow pass, then juked WR Tee Higgins out of his shoes to start a long return, but the play was wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Even without the INT, Hunter still had an outstanding game. Per PFF, he was targeted in coverage seven times, allowing only four receptions for 26 yards. Hunter recorded two PBUs and showed off his physical side on his four total tackles. Those stats look even more impressive when you factor in Burrow threw for a whopping 428 yards against Jacksonville.

Hunter's shutdown ability in man coverage has changed the way Jacksonville's defense plays. On the rare occasions he is targeted when playing man, Hunter has allowed a 0.0 passer rating. The lack of targets in man coverage proves Hunter can completely take a wide receiver out of a game when locked up one-on-one.

The second-year phenom's rapid rise at cornerback has been incredibly impressive and has gotten the attention of an all-time great CB, Hall of Famer Champ Bailey.

Bailey appeared on Kay Adams' Up & Adams show and showered Hunter with praise. Very few CBs have ever been more dominant than Bailey, making his evaluation of Hunter more meaningful and insightful than almost anyone else's.

Bailey told Adams he always thought Hunter would have a higher ceiling at CB than at wide receiver because success at CB is less dependent on others than it is at WR. He thinks Hunter is learning quickly and will be one of the league's best very soon.

"The dude is a playmaker, and I thought he would have more success at corner than receiver because it's a less dependent position. He's so athletic. A corner with his ball skills and athleticism is rare. It's rare to have someone so dialed in to football play corner. I'm just happy to see him do it."

The former All-Pro, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019, acknowledged there may be some rough patches in Hunter's development, as there are for every young CB, but believes he will be one of the NFL's best "in no time."

"He'll go through that, but he's so talented, he'll be fine. These are the bumps in the road he's going to need in order to be who he wants to be. But I do believe he can be a top-five corner in no time."

There aren't many people whose opinions on cornerbacks carry more weight than Bailey.

If he thinks Hunter will be a top-5 CB very soon, odds are the 23-year-old will prove Bailey right.

Hunter is getting better every week, and his 76 defensive snaps against Cincinnati were a career high. If he continues to develop at this rate, it may not be a stretch to think Hunter could be selected to his first Pro Bowl and make his first All-Pro team as soon as this season.

This is the type of player the Jaguars envisioned when they traded up to draft Hunter second overall last year. His combination of elite ball-hawking skills and true lockdown coverage ability makes him a rare and special player.

Jacksonville's defense continues to shine, and Hunter has been a huge reason why.

And he is only going to get better.