The Jaguars welcomed back former No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter from injury on Sunday, where he posted a strong defensive performance in limited snaps.
The Jacksonville Jaguars carried over last year's success into Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, coasting to a comfortable 34-10 victory.
Starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence led the way on offense, completing 18 of his 23 pass attempts for 243 yards and four touchdowns.
But, the defense had a very strong showing as well, with former No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter leading the way in the secondary.
In his first game back from the injury suffered during Hunter's rookie season, he looked very comfortable in his increased role as a defensive back.
In 29 defensive snaps, Hunter was targeted just one time, giving up a short reception for four yards.
Hunter looked extremely fast off the line, and blanketed whichever Browns receiver was lining up against him.
Jacksonville's defense as a whole continued to cause turnovers, with the team recovering a fumble and forcing an interception from Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
After the fumble, Hunter nearly had the opportunity to recover and attempt a lengthy return, but defensive captain linebacker Josh Hines-Allen dove on the ball to secure possession.
Going forward, Hunter's snap count will only increase, but this was a good smaller sample size to see how he will be utilized going forward.
This game had extra motivation for Hunter as well, as the Browns were the team who allowed Jacksonville to trade up for the reigning Heisman winner two seasons ago.
In mid-April, Browns owner Jimmy Haslem said his team was "locked in" on selecting Hunter before Jacksonville made its trade pitch, calling Hunter "not a good, but a great kid."
Ultimately, Haslem turned Hunter into Mason Graham (taken fifth overall) and Quinshon Judkins (No. 36 overall) with another first-rounder selected this year in wide receiver KC Concepcion (No. 24 overall).
Both Graham and Judkins had solid rookie campaigns for the Browns, while Concepcion is hoping to bring some much-needed firepower to Cleveland's receiving corps.
While Hunter's 2025 numbers didn't pop off the charts, he showed flashes of greatness at both positions, posting a 100-plus yard receiving game and multiple strong showings on defense.
Heading into this season, having Hunter focused on the defensive side of the ball should allow him to stay healthier and continue to be available for offensive snaps when needed.
Head coach Liam Coen has talked about manufacturing specific packages and looks to use Hunter on offense, which will add another dynamic receiver to Lawrence's targets.
On Sunday, Hunter played just four offensive snaps, hauling in his only target for eight yards.
As his snap count continues to rise, Hunter's value and production will too.
