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Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) in a press conference ahead of Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans Marriott. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Travis Kelce Reveals Game Plan For Attacking Jacksonville Jaguars' Travis Hunter

Originally posted on Colorado Buffaloes on SI
By Charlie Viehl | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 4:13 PM ET

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter fomade history in college, playing both offense and defense at an elite level with the Colorado Buffaloes. As Hunter prepares for his first season in the NFL, many are wondering if the former Colorado star will be able to replicate his success at the next level.

Most recently, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce joined the discussion in an appearance on "Bussin' With The Boys," a sports podcast hosted by former NFL offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and linebacker Will Compton. Kelce questioned if other teams will target Hunter, intentionally trying to drain his energy over four quarters:

“See, that’s the thing," Kelce said. "I don’t know how they’re going to divvy it out. I don’t know because teams are going to be going after him. They’re going to try and make his day miserable.

“Dude, if he plays corner, they’re just going to run deep balls at him all day," Kelce continued. "The wide receivers just take off on him all day. Just to try to get him tired. Why wouldn’t you just attack him that way?”

Would Hunter be able to make a difference on both sides of the ball if teams follow Kelce's idea of tiring out the former Buffaloes star? One of the best tight ends in NFL history, Kelce is certainly aware of the toll that an NFL game takes on the body, let alone a full season.

Some would argue that Hunter's athleticism is unprecedented. Not only did he win the Heisman Trophy in 2024, he also became the first player to ever win both the Chuck Bednarik and Fred Biletnikoff Awards.

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 overall pick in order to select Hunter, and they made it clear that they intend to play Hunter on both sides of the ball. At Jacksonville's rookie minicamp, Hunter began working with the offense, indicating the team's plans to have the former Buff focus on offense while also being included in specific defensive personnel packages.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen spoke to reporters during organized team activities (OTAs), explaining how the organization is trying to keep Hunter fresh. Coen talked about Hunter is working on the mental side of the game, even if he is not practicing with both the offensive and defensive units in the same day. However, Coen did explain that Hunter will be asked to practice with both sides of the ball during the season.

"He still meets defensively every day that he's on offense, so he's getting the mental part of it and is able to catch up on some of the communication, some of the corrections off the film from the defensive side of the ball. He's getting a lot of the mental and it would probably be unfair to put him out on the grass and do both and ask him to go do that and see success."

While Kelce might be right in questioning Hunter's, or anyone's, ability to make a difference on offense and defense in the NFL, it appears as though Jacksonville has a plan to prepare Hunter to make history.

This article first appeared on Colorado Buffaloes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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