Jaguars' Star Sounds Off on Travis Hunter

After 8 years as a part of the San Francisco 49ers, defensive end Arik Armstead was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Houston Teaxns also attempted to trade for him before his release, but nothing was able to be cemented.

Over his career, he's tallied 331 combined tackles and 35.5 sacks. Now heading into his second season with Jacksonville, he's glad to be getting some help on the defensive side.

Armstead joined "First Things First" to talk about new rookie sensation Travis Hunter. Drafted second overall in the recent 2025 NFL Draft, Armstead couldn't be happier to be on the same team.

The thing that everybody wants to know is how Hunter's two-way game from Colorado is going to transfer to the league. In college, Hunter played both sides of the ball, barely getting a second's rest on the sidelines. Now facing tougher competition, some may doubt his ability to keep that stamina up.

“It does seem impossible, until you’re around Travis,” Armstead said when tackling the subject of Hunter playing both sides of the ball. “I think one of the most impressive things about him is he’s out there and doing it, but it’s hot in Jacksonville. We sweatin’, and this dude doesn’t break a sweat. We look at him, he’s smooth, he’s very elastic, and everything comes very naturally to him. He’s just a natural-born athlete.”

He continued, “When you look at playing both sides of the football, his schedule is crazy. Two days he’s on offense, and then he pops up in our meetings. He’ll make a crazy interception and then go on offense and score a touchdown.”

In Jacksonville specifically, the heat will be a major factor. Teams like the Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers often have to play in excrutiating weather when at home, which definitely affects their play in some way.

That isn't to say that other teams in the NFL aren't faced with the same challenges, but the move from Boulder to Florida is a vast difference for the up-and-coming star. However, with veterans like Armstead coaching him through, there's no doubt in my mind that Hunter will be quick to adapt to these new conditions.

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