T
ravis Hunter is picking a side of the ball to focus on. Or is he? Earlier this month, the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed plans to make Hunter a full-time cornerback and play him only in certain situations at wide receiver, seemingly ending his two-way status. Drafted with the second overall pick in last year’s draft, the Jaguars traded up to select Hunter and had high hopes for the former Heisman trophy winner. But an LCL tear ended his rookie season after just seven games, raising questions about the long term viability of his two-way career.
But Hunter is not buying the reports. On April 9, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on the news that Hunter would become more of a full-time defensive player and after he said it, Hunter took to Twitter to refute the claim. The Jaguars may want to convert Hunter to one side of the ball, but one thing is clear– Hunter still wants to play both ways.
Hunter Responds to the Claims
Rapoport gave the report on NFL Network on the morning of April 9 and while it took a few days, Hunter tweeted early on April 12 his thoughts on the report, appearing to hint that they are false.
“Now who told you this?,” Hunter tweeted.
Winning the Heisman trophy in 2024 after a historic campaign, Hunter led all college football players with over 1,000 snaps played and had a massive role on both sides of the ball for Colorado— catching 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense while recording four interceptions on defense. Hunter has earned his reputation of being an elite athlete and given how he hasn’t even played a full season in the NFL, it would be shocking to see him already forced to pick a side.
Would the Jaguars Actually Limit Hunter?
Trading up for a guy like Hunter is a big investment and while keeping him healthy is vital, Hunter’s two-way ability is what makes him the special player he is. Despite having a limited impact even while healthy last year, Hunter still showed that he has the skillset to be successful as a two-way player if he so chooses. And from the looks of it, Hunter himself is not ready to give up on that goal just yet, hoping that he can bounce back in year two.
Out since October with his injury, Hunter is likely to be ready in time for OTAs and training camp. And whenever Hunter gets back out there, it will be very interesting to see how he looks and how his knee holds up when he takes part in both offensive and defensive drills.
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