The Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft to select Travis Hunter, a potentially generational prospect who played on both sides of the ball in college.
In the lead-up to the draft, Hunter repeatedly made it clear that he intended to play offense and defense in the NFL. He was viewed as a first-round wide receiver but an even better cornerback, so a full-time role on defense while coming in for specific packages on offense felt like an ideal split of his time. Not only does he have a higher ceiling at cornerback, but it seems easier for a wide receiver to play a part-time role.
However, the Jaguars went in the opposite direction in Hunter’s rookie year. He played 324 snaps on offense and 162 on defense with better results from the latter, aligning with his pre-draft profile. In 12 games, he averaged just 6.6 yards per target as a receiver but allowed only 5.9 yards per target in coverage.
Hunter’s rookie season ended early due to knee surgery, and the early injury raised questions about the practicality and longevity of his two-way workload. Multiple reports have indicated that the Jaguars do not share those concerns, but they are planning to adjust his snap distribution when he returns to the field later this year.
“Travis Hunter is expected to be 100% full-go by Week 1,” NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe said. “He had surgery on the LCL in his knee. He will play both sides again in 2026. The big change may come in the usage. From what I understand, they plan to play him as a full-time cornerback [and] a part-time receiver.”
A late-season breakout from wideout Parker Washington and Jacksonville’s lack of cornerback depth are two primary reasons for this move, along with the basic logic about the two positions mentioned earlier.
Ehhhh
James Gladstone is a bright young mind, and his drafting model has an impressive track record in Los Angeles, but this is the kind of the thing you miss by not having a football mind in the room.
His analysis told him “WR + CB = 2X value” so he ran with it but any coach or executive with real gridiron experience would have told him that Hunter is too raw of a WR and the wear and tear is too significant to play both sides of the ball.
He probably thought that Hunter is Shohei Ohtani and he’s going to win the MVP every season
what wear and tear? he played less than 500 snaps. it’s not like he was run ragged and they were overusing him out there. his ACL snapped. could have happened in five snaps or 50 just as easily. they were not at negligent with how they approached his work load and the injury didn’t happen because of undue wear and tear.
Although I agree with you, it wasn’t his ACL
Yes, only people with serious football playing backgrounds can be good executives. That’s why Howie Roseman has failed so miserably.
And of course there were football minds in the room. Their scouting director played college ball. The VP of football operations is Tony Boselli.
Also, Gladstone played college football at a small program, which is as far as a lot of big time coaches and executives ever got. He even played wide receiver.
Whenever people bring up Howie in this context I always get a chuckle thinking of him suiting up. He’d be a monster in the pop Warner level for sure.
Right because you know more than James Gladstone and the rest of his staff.
Boggles my mind. Travis is easily a middle first round pure WR and needs to be coached up. Wha they traded for him and how they value him is very weird to me.
If he were only a corner he still would have been an easy top ten pick.
Exactly. I’m saying this as a football fan so F what I think but they are not handling this situation right. If I’m jags I’m drafting a corner earliest pick and talking to Travis about playing boundary WR
Not sure I follow. They already have Thomas, Meyers, and Washington in addition to whatever amount of receiver Hunter plays. Why not focus on developing Hunter into an elite corner who has a couple of sub packages as a receiver?
I mean they COULD but it’s screaming “Jack of all trades master of none” to me. Like why?
I’m suggesting they *heavily* focus on corner. The bit of receiver play is because that’s easier to prep on a part time basis.
That’s what I said their first pick should be corner and then corner and then RB if they move off Travis which they most likely will. And then o line
It always made more sense for him to be a full time corner and a sub package wide receiver if he was really going to be a two-way player. It’s just easier to manage the time and preparation that way. Now that Meyers has re-upped with them, it makes even more sense.
I’d say it’s more Parker Washington emerging than any other factor
Looks more comfortable at cb tbh. Very hard to play both at an extremely high level. This ain’t high school or college anymore. I think in time he can be an all-pro. Best of luck to shutting down those big and fast receivers tho!
It’s probably not a good idea to split his reps evenly since that might confuse his development but if they make him a full time at any position then it defeats his value that made him the 2nd pick
probably the exact opposite of what should happen.. jags caught fire without hunter playing either
You clearly didn’t watch their playoff game against the Bills. Allen picked on their secondary all game. Hunter (and Ransaw) will improve that tremendously next season.
but you can make more money playing wide receiver.