Travis Hunter Going Viral For Stumbling On Routes: Jacksonville Jaguars Rookie Minicamp

The videos include Hunter running unguarded routes and stumbling on them. The versatile athlete is going viral for this issue, with fans worried that he cannot run simple unguarded routes. The concern is regarding his footwork, with the idea that his athleticism has covered up his lack of route running skills a top receiver needs.

While Hunter’s footwork can be seen as a concern, he has only gone through a couple of practices in the NFL. This is an element of his game that can be worked on ahead of the 2025 NFL season. 

Concerns about rookies before they take the field for an NFL game are nothing new. In 2021, ahead of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s rookie season, there was concern about him not being able to catch the ball. Chase has since turned into one of the top wide receivers in the league. 

Despite struggles with his route running, Jaguars executive vice president of football operations and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Boselli has had nothing but praise for Hunter. 

“We’re not playing real football yet. We’re just on the grass doing individual drills, a lot of install, a lot of education. With that said, Travis Hunter and I had high expectations, obviously, we traded our first-rounder next year and our second-rounder this year to go to get him; we felt like he was the best guy to be a Jaguar. So we had high expectations, he’s exceeded my expectations,” Boselli said.

“You see the athlete on the field. You see how he moves, the change of direction, body control, but it’s the person that I’m most enamored with. The natural leadership he brings, the energy, the excitement, the smile, and he’s a tireless worker. This is a guy that wants to be the best. You watch how he approached phase two workouts and rookie minicamp, this is a guy that’s hungry to be the best,” Boselli continued.

Hunter is coming off of a college season where he had 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He did this while also playing defense for the Buffaloes, finishing with 35 total tackles, four interceptions, one forced fumble, and 11 passes defended. Hunter is a strong athlete whose talent translates onto the field.

Despite being the No. 2 overall pick, Hunter knows there is a lot of work he has to do still. The former Colorado star spoke to the media during the NFLPA Rookie Premiere and discussed how he and former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders have to show up each day and work to earn their spot.

“We just going to work, man,” Hunter said. “We both got our heads down and doing what we have to do. There’s a lot of doubters out there for him, and he’s going to go to work. I’m going to go to work and just going to do what we’ve always been doing.”

“We definitely got to be leaders, especially me,” Hunter said. “I was the number two overall pick, so I gotta come in and be a leader.”

The NFL season for the Jacksonville Jaguars kicks off on Sept. 7 against the Carolina Panthers. There is still time for Hunter to clean his footwork and prove why he was deserving of the No. 2 overall pick.