Insider Has Lofty Expectations For Jaguars' Hunter

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated May 11, 2025 1:00 PM ET

There are not many players like Jacksonville Jaguars star Travis Hunter.

Hunter is a rare player who is able to do things most prospects can't -- specifically, playing on both sides of the ball.

As a result, Hunter is breeding expectations that most players don't ever sniff. The latest comes from an NFL insider who believes Hunter could make history as a two-way Rookie of the Year.

ESPN's Dan Graziano's bold prediction for Hunter is certainly heavy in terms of expectations -- he sees Hunter figuring into the equation for Rookie of the Year on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

"Jaguars two-way star Travis Hunter will finish in the top three of voting for Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year. I want to say he'll win both, but that seems like a long shot even for him. I just love Hunter's abilities and want to get him into my predictions in some way," Graziano said.

Hunter's rare skill set will put him in position to make an impact on both sides of the ball, which virtually no other player in the NFL can say -- let alone any rookie.

It will be tough for Hunter to make as many impact plays on the defensive side of the ball due to his lowered snap count compared to full-time defenders, but he is far from a player anyone should doubt.

But while Hunter will mostly play receiver, the Jaguars have already begun to prepare him for his role on the defensive side of the ball as well.

"He’s been able to dive in and learn some of our three-deep coverages, what do we call our three-deep coverages on the outside, if he has to be manned up on the backside of a three-by-one, he knows all of those calls already," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said on Saturday.

"So, at the end of the day, it’s going to be about, on the defensive side of the ball, communication. The technique and fundamentals, we’ll continue to harp on, but it’s really about being on the same page as the rest of the guys on the back end from a communication standpoint and the rest will kind of take care of itself.”