Liam Coen Gives Unfiltered Opinion About Travis Hunter

The NFL isn’t used to players like Travis Hunter. And Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen made that crystal clear this week with an eyebrow-raising admission that should electrify Colorado Buffaloes fans.

During a media session after a Jaguars OTA workout, Coen pulled back the curtain on just how much Hunter has impressed since arriving as a rookie, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

“Milo (Ron Milus) came up to me after practice and said, can we have him more?” Coen said, referring to the Jaguars secondary coach. “And so that’s a good thing, right? Just the movement skills and some of the man coverages, the feel in zone. You can definitely see how natural it is for him.”

For Colorado faithful who followed every snap of Hunter’s two-way dominance in Boulder under Deion Sanders, this development isn’t exactly a shock. But in the NFL, where specializations rule, Hunter’s versatility is breaking norms and earning attention.

Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was known in college football circles as a generational talent. In 2024 with Colorado, he logged 35 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 11 pass breakups on defense, while also producing 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on offense. The question heading into the NFL wasn’t if he could play both ways, but whether a team would actually let him.

Coen’s latest remarks suggest the answer is yes, and that Hunter’s defensive skills might be impossible to ignore.

“Still learning, still growing, still trying to learn the calls as much as possible,” Coen noted. “But when you see him just in the actual seven-on and team setting, he doesn’t look out of place by any means.”

For a Jaguars defense that finished 23rd in passing yards allowed last season, Hunter’s ability to step in and hold his own in coverage could be an early X-factor. While Jacksonville originally envisioned him as an offensive spark plug, the coaching staff now sees a legitimate corner who can change games.