Travis Hunter beams with a smile as broad as his impressive catch radius. The standout Heisman Trophy winner flashes it confidently whenever anyone questions his potential to excel as a two-way player in the NFL, just as he did at Colorado.
“It actually makes me smile,” the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver and cornerback shared with reporters during Friday’s training camp.
“They don’t know what to say, so they just resort to hate.”
Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s new leadership is fully committed to Hunter. General Manager James Gladstone and Head Coach Liam Cohen, both in their 30s and rookies in their roles, traded up to select Hunter with the second overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
The Jaguars have enthusiastically embraced Hunter’s extraordinary stamina and remarkable athleticism. When he signed his rookie contract, the team’s social media posted the announcement twice—once highlighting him as a wide receiver and once as a defensive back.
Hunter revealed that during the pre-draft process, he was determined to play both offense and defense in the NFL. If his drafting team insisted he choose just one position, he considered quitting football.
Through three training camp sessions, the Jaguars have been creatively integrating this West Palm Beach native into both offensive and defensive roles. Cohen, formerly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator, said on Wednesday that Hunter will “flip-flop” between offense and defense during camp.
In the first two practices, Hunter wore teal and practiced offense. On Friday, he donned a white practice jersey and worked on defense. This dual role was different from his experience at Colorado, where he played on both sides in every practice. Hunter has embraced the challenge and enjoys the variety.
“We need to adapt quickly,” he said Friday. “If the offense changes their approach, I need to adjust fast, and if they call a different play, I have to know my role immediately. We start slow, but then adjust so I’m confident knowing what to do on either side every day.”
Ultimately, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound, 22-year-old will participate in both offensive and defensive drills during practices.
“I want to get to a point where I understand both sides thoroughly and learn two separate Jaguars playbooks,” Hunter said.
He demonstrated this versatility at Colorado, logging 1,529 snaps on offense and defense over 13 games last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
During that season, Hunter played 753 offensive snaps, 776 on defense, and 23 on special teams. He caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, scored a rushing touchdown, and as a cornerback recorded 36 tackles, four interceptions, and forced a fumble that clinched an overtime victory over Baylor in week 4.
Hunter admitted that playing both ways during a practice is physically taxing, but he stays organized with the coaching staff’s help and maintains a detailed schedule posted at his locker.
He also admitted that mentally switching between offense and defense is challenging.
“There’s a mental switch because the terminology and plays are different,” he said. “But on the field, it’s straightforward — you just get to work.”
This switch gives Hunter the chance to prove doubters wrong, smiling even more while doing so.
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Fan Take: Travis Hunter’s rare ability to excel on both sides of the ball could revolutionize how players are utilized in the NFL, offering teams unprecedented flexibility. For fans, his success could signal a thrilling return to versatile, dynamic football that blurs traditional positional lines.
