Travis Hunter's dual-threat ability dazzles, but focusing on one position could unlock his true potential for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The most unique thing about Jacksonville Jaguars' receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter is that he's can to play both ways.
This is commonplace in high school football, but rarely happens in the college game and pretty much never happens in the NFL.
Hunter played offense and defense at Colorado, and did well enough to win a Heisman Trophy and become the second overall pick of last year's draft.
The Jags had Hunter play both ways as a rookie, but he only ended up playing in seven games before a season-ending injury. In Hunter's absence, the Jags acquired Las Vegas Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers, who became a difference-maker in Jacksonville's passing game. Parker Washington also turned in the best year of his young career, ending the season with 847 yards and five touchdowns on 58 catches (plus more than 100 yards in the Jags' playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills).
Brian Thomas Jr. didn't quite match his elite rookie season, when he had almost 1,300 yards, but still had a respectable 707, despite missing three games.
Beyond the wideouts, tight end Brenton Strange had a career year, 540 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
The Jags' receivers proved to be just fine without Hunter.
Cornerback was a different story.
Jacksonville's secondary ranked 21st out of 32 teams in passing yards allowed, and in the playoffs, the unit didn't deliver, with Bills quarterback Josh Allen completing 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown.
Even with Jacksonville’s specific needs aside, cornerback might well be Hunter’s best position, anyway.
This is subjective, of course, especially since cornerbacks don’t have many stats to go from. But if Hunter had to play one position, cornerback would be it, because of his length and ball skills.
The more a player focuses on one position, the better he is at that position. Case in point, Shohei Ohtani. In 2024, Ohtani couldn’t pitch due to Tommy John surgery, and ended up having one of the best offensive seasons in baseball history, becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases.
It’s more fun for baseball fans when Ohtani is pitching and hitting, and it would be more fun for football fans if Hunter were playing receiver and defensive back.
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