Former Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter earns praise in Jaguars’ two-way NFL debut

Brian Schaible

Former Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter earns praise in Jaguars’ two-way NFL debut image

Former Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter made his long-anticipated NFL debut Sunday, contributing on both sides of the ball as the Jacksonville Jaguars opened the season with a victory. Hunter finished with six catches for 33 yards on offense and also logged six snaps at cornerback, drawing positive reviews from his coaches and teammates.

Head coach Liam Coen said the opener was just the beginning of what the Jaguars envision for Hunter’s role. “I think that was game one. I think that was week one, where you miss ten days or so, and there was a lot of different kind of coverage changes in the back end for us with some of their formations, adjustments. It was a lot that those guys had to handle defensively. So it was maybe a little bit less for him this game. I think it will only continue to evolve and go more. I thought he played hard on offense. I thought he played fast. He had some good catches, ran the right route. I can only see it going and expanding from here.”

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence also came away impressed with the rookie’s poise. “He was great. Had some big catches, obviously. You know, I think he’s a weapon for us, and he’s going to continue to get better and better. He’s a matchup in space, great with the ball in his hands…He was prepared. Did a good job knowing the plan. The position he plays, you kind of have to know a lot, because he’s involved in a lot of the run game, he’s involved in the passing game. He did a good job preparing.”

Veteran cornerback Jourdan Lewis said Hunter’s debut was an important confidence builder. “It was good to see him get his feet wet…Where he can make plays on both sides of the ball and affect the game. I’m excited. We got his first win. He got the ball in hands and that should be a confidence booster.”

Hunter’s two-way debut was just the start. Next, Travis and the Jaguars will travel to Cincinnati for their Week 2 matchup, as his role continues to grow.

MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS: 

Brian Schaible

Brian Schaible is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience covering college and professional sports. Brian holds a master’s degree in journalism/public relations from Kent State University.