JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The schedule is packed, and there’s not much wiggle room each day as the Jaguars get used to the balancing act of Travis Hunter.
Most days, Hunter is working at receiver where he is expected to start and play alongside Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown. But there’s the other side of Hunter, who got his most extensive work at cornerback during Friday’s third training camp practice.
Recommended Videos
The unique two-way star won the Heisman Trophy last year as a full-time receiver and cornerback, and he’s set on continuing it in Jacksonville. There haven’t been many players who try and go both offense and defense at the NFL level, and there’s a reason why. That’s why there have been plenty of skeptics to suggest that Hunter won’t be able to handle the dual role of professional football.
“Just the work that you put in and when they try to criticize it. It’s like, I’m already doing all this extra work,” Hunter said. “You’re going to keep telling me I can’t do the same thing that I’ve been doing and showing you, so it’s just that a lot of people just keep downplaying it, but I’m going to just be quiet and go to work.”
Training camp coverage
Full interview: RB Travis Etienne | Full interview: OL Fred Johnson | Full interview: Cam Little | News4JAGs podcast from Day 3 of camp | Friday’s training camp notebook
It’s a steep ask both mentally and physically to do what Hunter did in his final season at Colorado. But the Jaguars are all in on allowing Hunter to play both sides of the ball. If anything, the schedule has been more challenging for the coaching staff to try and get Hunter work within the limited camp time at receiver and at corner.
“It’s probably harder, I mentioned this before logistically for us as coaches to navigate it and make sure that we’re making use of all his time. I think it doesn’t bother him as much. He’s pretty unfazed by some of this stuff,” head coach Liam Coen said.
“So, these next few days will be very important, though, because he was on defense today. He’ll have an off day tomorrow [Saturday] making sure that he’s ready to go for the next few days. He’ll have to use this weekend off day tomorrow as well to make sure that he’s studying on offensive stuff. So, he’s been great in terms of his attitude and just kind of the way he approaches it.”
Some players have had success for a limited time doing both (Deion Sanders and Arizona’s Roy Green) but that was decades ago. And the last true full-time NFL player was Chuck Bednarik, who last played in 1962. Hunter could be an NFL unicorn. That’s why Jacksonville pulled its biggest draft day trade in franchise history when it moved up to No. 2 to select Hunter.
General manager James Gladstone said after the trade (which also included Jacksonville’s 2026 first-round pick) that the Jaguars felt like they were getting a first rounder on both sides of the ball, so it was easy to attach that pick in the deal with Cleveland.
Hunter’s first two days of camp included working with defensive backs coach Ron Milus during one period before rejoining his offensive teammates. On Friday, that changed. Hunter swapped his teal offensive jersey for the white top that defenders wear. He spent the bulk of practice (save for a tennis ball drill with Thomas and Brown) running with the defense and going through those drills. Hunter played outside cornerback in the team portions the rest of the day and seemed to be more focused on technique, backpedaling and footwork more than anything.
Hunter said that he practiced on both offense and defense every day at Colorado, and has enjoyed how the Jacksonville staff has kept him doing something similar in camp.
“I need to be able to process everything fast, quick. If the offense changes when I’m on defense, if the offense changes the script, I have to know what I’m doing right away,” Hunter said. “And on the offense, if we change the play, I have to know what I’m doing right away. So I like that we’re starting off slow, getting me adjusted, making sure I know where I need to be on one side of the ball each day, and then it all will come together.”
