When the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, it will feature the long-awaited return of two-way phenom Travis Hunter.

Hunter hasn't played in a game since last October 19. He would injure his knee in practice over the team's bye week and miss the rest of his rookie season. 

When the Jaguars drafted Hunter second overall in 2025, most people believed he would become an immediate star. His All-Pro ability at both wide receiver and cornerback made Hunter one of the most unique and special talents to enter the NFL in a long time. He was expected to be not only one of the faces of the franchise, but of the entire league.

That didn't happen as quickly as many anticipated.

In his seven games, Hunter had a stat line of 28-298-1 as a WR and recorded only 15 total tackles and three PBUs as a CB. Perhaps most frustrating about his injury was that it happened just as Hunter looked like he was turning a corner. In his last game before tearing the LCL in his right knee, Hunter caught eight passes for 101 yards and his lone touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams.

Was Hunter about to break out?

We will never know.

Now he's back, bigger than before and maybe even faster.

All the expectations that were placed on Hunter last season have only been pushed back a year. Hunter has already been named one of the second-year players under the most pressure to succeed this season.

But what can the Jaguars realistically expect from Hunter after not playing in a game in nearly 11 months?

Not only will Sunday be Hunter's first game since October, it will also be his first as a full-time cornerback and part-time wide receiver.

While Hunter has the potential to be a true shutdown CB, how long will it take him to acclimate to playing nearly every defensive snap?

Working in Hunter's favor may be Jacksonville's defense switching up its coverage schemes more often this season. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile had the team playing zone more than almost every other team in 2025, but on Wednesday, head coach Liam Coen spoke with reporters about the defense playing more man/match coverages this year.

That should suit Hunter very well. He has elite ball skills and his ability to mirror a receiver stride-for-stride in coverage is outstanding.

Hunter has a chance to get off to a fast start at CB playing against Browns' QB Deshaun Watson, whose play has fallen off a cliff since being traded to Cleveland.

Don't be surprised if Hunter gets his first career interception off Watson on Sunday.

Coen has been adamant that Hunter will still see time on offense, but the plan is to have him be only a part-time wide receiver. That plan was noticeable during training camp, where Hunter got most of his snaps at CB, especially as camp was winding down.

The Jaguars are loaded at WR, with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington occupying the top three spots on the depth chart. Rookies Josh Cameron and CJ Williams have also looked promising in camp.

Simply put, there isn't a big need for Hunter to play WR, and it may be in Jacksonville's best interest long-term to monitor his workload this season, especially after his knee injury.

However, Hunter is too dangerous a weapon on offense to leave him on the sidelines for an entire game. It wouldn't be surprising to see him get 10-12 snaps at WR on offense, just enough for him to get his feet wet and have a chance at still making an impact. I wouldn't be surprised if Hunter was given a quick carry just to get the ball in his hands and get rid of any jitters.

Week 1 is exciting enough, but Hunter's return is adding an extra layer of anticipation.

The two-way phenom's ceiling is almost non-existent, but it may take him a bit to adjust to real games again and the changing of his primary position.

However, the Browns should offer an opportunity for Hunter to get off to a good start.

Projected stat line: 5 total tackles, 1 PBU, 1 INT

                                     2 catches, 34 yards, 1 carry, 6 yards