Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter goes to be one of many must-see tales within the NFL this season as he makes an attempt to play each side of the ball. It’ll be a frightening job within the NFL, however he acquired his first style of it on Saturday night time within the staff’s preseason opener in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hunter lined up as each a large receiver and cornerback — simply as he did all through his faculty profession — and produced some combined outcomes.
Offensively, he lined up for 9 snaps on the staff’s opening drive and caught two passes (on two targets) for 9 yards, together with a six-yard catch that got here up only one yard wanting the first-down line on a third-down play.
The Jaguars’ first-team offense was going up in opposition to a lineup that includes principally Steelers backups, and their sport plan appeared to focus extra on short-quick passes than something that may enable Hunter to get downfield or make any large performs.
Defensively, Hunter lined up for 5 snaps at cornerback and didn’t have any passes go in his course, whereas he additionally missed a possible deal with on a working play.
Hunter was top-of-the-line gamers in faculty soccer over the earlier two seasons, taking part in each cornerback and large receiver at an exceptionally excessive degree. It was not unusual for him to play over 100 snaps in a sport. That efficiency resulted in him being the No. 2 total decide within the 2025 NFL Draft class (with Jacksonville buying and selling as much as get him). He has each intention of taking part in each side of the ball within the NFL, and the Jaguars appear inclined to let him strive.
It is not going to be straightforward, although.
There’s a huge distinction in velocity and physicality (to not point out high quality of play) between faculty soccer and the NFL, and simply because he was capable of excel at each positions (and have the sturdiness to play each) within the former doesn’t imply he might be in a position to take action as successfully within the latter. He might must restrict himself on one aspect of the ball a bit because the grind of a season wears on.
If he doesn’t must restrict himself, and if he is ready to pull it off, it will make him one of the crucial useful gamers within the NFL simply primarily based on the truth that he’s two premium positions in a single participant.
