Jacksonville Jaguars to let Travis Hunter “be himself” in the NFL

Will Travis play WR, CB, or both?

Ever since Travis Hunter was selected second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars on draft night, fans have been wondering how his new NFL team plans to utilize him. The two-way superstar shined at Colorado, acting as the Buffs’ best wide receiver and cornerback, tallying 1,979 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in his two years in Boulder, along with seven interceptions and a forced fumble for good measure.

When Hunter declared for the draft in December, questions have remained about how his unique talent will translate to the pro game. Can Hunter play both wide receiver and corner at the highest level? Will his new team view him more as a cornerback or a receiver, or even let him play both cornerback and receiver altogether?

Jags general manager James Gladstone wasted no time answering those questions, making it loud and clear in their post-draft press conference. You don’t send a boatload of picks to the Browns for the No. 2 overall pick unless you’re ready to let Travis Hunter be Travis Hunter, which means letting him loose on both sides of the ball.

From the moment Jacksonville made the pick, it was obvious what the plan was. Gladstone opened the team’s introductory press conference by giving a great speech about how Travis Hunter is going to change the game of football.

“Travis Hunter embodies belief,” Gladstone said in his presser. “He’s a rare person, he’s a rare player, but he’s also a reminder that the boundaries of the game of football were meant to be challenged. The decision to select [Hunter] was actually a statement; a statement of how we plan to move and who we are. And we want [Hunter] to be nothing more than him, because when he is, he elevates the space around him. From the football field, to the city, to the game of football itself, Travis Hunter is who we’ve been hunting up.”

Following Gladstone’s words, new Jags head coach Liam Coen took the podium to clafify a bit more information about how Hunter will be utilized on the field, at least during his rookie season.

“We have a plan right now of him playing primarily on offense, with him learning the defensive system and practicing on the defensive side of the ball, as well throughout this offseason program,” said Coen.

Coen’s words indicate that offense will be the starting point for Hunter this season, but defense isn’t off the table, which shouldn’t be a shock. The former Buff has proven time and time again that he can dominate either way, but with the way the modern NFL works, there’s much more money to be made playing receiver.

According to Reception Perception, Travis finished in the 92nd percentile in success rate vs. man coverage, along with 97th vs. zone and 97th vs. press. Hunter has put up the tape and numbers to back up this reputation as an elite pass catcher. That kind of production speaks for itself, especially for someone who played both ways full-time at the Power 4 level.

Travis Hunter is not a normal player, and the Jaguars seem ready to treat him like the rare weapon he is.