Patriots' Unique DB Earns Wild Comparison to Travis Hunter

Travis Hunter is widely viewed as one of the most intriguing NFL prospects we have seen in quite some time, and the New England Patriots may have their own version of the Jacksonville Jaguars phenom.

Well, kind of.

Like Hunter, Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones is capable of playing both sides of the ball, and while he may not be quite as explosive as Hunter, at least it's something.

Bernd Buchmasser and Taylor Kyles of Pats Pulpit laid out the case for Jones in a recent preview piece.

"Hunter is, of course, a unicorn considering his qualities as both a full(ish)-time receiver and cornerback, but he is not the only two-way player in the league today. The New England Patriots have their own, for example: fourth-year man Marcus Jones," Buchmasser and Kyles wrote.

Of course, they added that the parallels to Hunter may not be exact.

"Jones may be the Patriots’ version of Travis Hunter, but he is far less polished as a two-way athlete and playmaker than the first-round rookie," they wrote. "That said, he is still somebody who can and will positively contribute to his team in 2025 and at least leave an impact as a starter-caliber slot cornerback and All-Pro-level punt returner."

Since entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2022, Jones has only caught five passes (four of them came during his rookie campaign) and has logged one carry, so it's not like New England has regularly been featuring Jones as an offensive threat.

However, Jones definitely the talent to at least contribute on both sides of the field, so perhaps the Pats will utilize him more as a playmaker in 2025.

The 26-year-old has also shown some potential as a solid cornerback. Last season, he registered 58 tackles, an interception and 10 passes defended.

We'll see if Jones becomes a breakout candidate for the Patriots.