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Why Travis Hunter Should Only Play Wide Receiver
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) runs a passing drill during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ third mandatory minicamp Thursday June 12, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars made the sexy move to trade up for Travis Hunter on draft night and they got a definite stud.

No question about it.

However, what if Travis Hunter, who played on both sides of the football in college, cannot star at both wide receiver and cornerback in the National Football League?

Would Hunter be considered a disappointment if he only excelled at one position?

The answer is unequivocably "no".

Hunter is a once-in-a-generation superstar. He should start at wide receiver and be the best he can be. If he wants to play defense, there should be certain packages instituted for him. He could play corner in certain situations. He cannot be expected to be an every-down player like he was in college.

Let him partner with Brian Thomas, Jr. and give quarterback Trevor Lawrence two speedy receivers with great hands that can create separation. Hunter can certainly make a living as a top-flight wide receiver and possibly a return specialist. He does not need to be on the field for every play.

Now, Hunter was impressive thus far in the rookie camps and OTAs. However, that is not going full-game mode and playing both positions for 60 minutes. He also cannot possibly sit in on all meetings necessary to master both positions. There are simply not enough hours in the day to practice, attend meetings, learn the playbook and master both positions.

At Colorado, he proved his worth by excelling on offense. He led the squad with 1,258 receiving yards in his senior season and scored 15 touchdowns. If he did that consistently in the National Football League, he would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

While in college, he averaged over 100 plays a game. That is unrealistic. He played in the Pac-12 and then the Big 12 after transferring from Jackson State. The competition was not that great. It might be easy to cover Joe Blow from Prairie View, but it is guaranteed that covering an NFL receiver will not come close to being the same.

He is probably a better wide receiver than he is a cornerback, so that should be his primary position. He is also more valuable to the Jaguars on offense than he would be on defense. It is much harder to find a WR2 than a CB2 in free agency or on the waiver wire.

Jaguar head coach Liam Coen said he has plans for Hunter to play primarily on offense, with the intent of him "learning the defensive system and practicing on the defensive side of the ball as well through the offseason program."

General manager Jim Gladstone is following Coen's mantra, but ultimately, they are going to want to give the fans what they have come to expect. They are going to want to see Hunter go both ways and play over 130 plays a game.

Finally, Hunter wears a No. 12 on his jersey. He does not wear an "S" for Superman. He can't be expected to play both sides of the ball, every play, and excel at both positions. Guys like Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson did it, but did so in certain packages. They were primarily defensive backs and return specialists, who were also put on the field for gadget plays on offense.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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