The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t wasting any time putting Travis Hunter to work. The rookie star, taken second overall in this year’s draft, is expected to line up as a full-time wide receiver and still contribute at cornerback when the Jags open their season against the Carolina Panthers.
Head coach Liam Coen hinted at a flexible plan, saying the staff would adjust Hunter’s workload depending on game flow and overall health. “We’ve got to be smart with it,” Coen said. “He’s shown he can handle both sides, but we’ll figure out the right balance.”
For now, the team sees Hunter as a primary receiver who can still shift into the secondary when needed. His status on the first regular-season depth chart backed that up, listing him as a starting wideout and a reserve corner.
Rookie could see heavy snaps at receiver while still working on defense
Hunter’s unique role has NFL history attached to it. Only three players in the modern era have started at both wide receiver and cornerback in the same game: Deion Sanders, Champ Bailey, and Antonio Cromartie. Sanders, who once coached Hunter at Colorado, did it nearly 30 years ago.
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The rookie has already proven he can handle the workload. During training camp, he split nearly 50-50 between offensive and defensive snaps, impressing teammates with his speed, instincts, and stamina. An early camp injury slowed him briefly, but he’s been full go leading into Week 1.
Jacksonville doesn’t want to reveal exactly how much Hunter will be used on defense Sunday, but the plan to feature him heavily on offense signals just how central he will be to their attack. If Hunter delivers the way he did in college, the Jaguars could have one of the league’s most dynamic two-way weapons right out of the gate.
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