10
Loading video...
By Jordan Sigler
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The Jacksonville Jaguars hinted that two-way athlete Travis Hunter would see more snaps at cornerback in the upcoming season after playing most of his snaps as a wide receiver in his rookie season.
Hunter played in 324 offensive snaps last season compared to 162 snaps on defense.
During Sunday's practice, Hunter put the defense on notice, hauling in a reception for a big gain, per Michael DiRocco of ESPN. He made another impressive catch from a pass via Trevor Lawrence.
Read More on NFL
More News: Three Teams That Can Win the Big 12
...
More News: Three Teams That Can Win the ACC Championship
Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is impressed with the progress Hunter has made on offense in Year 2.
"The deep reception was awesome to see," Udinski said. "He's continued to progress from a route technique fundamental standpoint, but also a knowledge of the offense and just the system in general.
"When he has the ball in his hands, he can create something special. He can make guys miss. He has a great awareness of defenders and space out there on the field, but he also has great ball skills. So those things kind of pop off the tape."
In addition to his offensive playmaking on Sunday, Hunter intercepted a pass from backup quarterback Nick Mullens that was intended for tight end Quintin Morris. The play would have been a pick-6.
Hunter, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, had a relatively quiet rookie season while he played on both sides of the ball. He recorded 28 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown in seven appearances and four starts. He also tallied 15 total tackles.
Hunter suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice on Oct. 30 that required surgery.
During the offseason, Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said in an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" that Hunter would be expected to play more snaps as a cornerback this fall.
“He is set to play both sides of the ball,” Gladstone said in May, via a transcription from Pro Football Talk. “The piece that I think we can expect to see is actually an uptick in corner usage. Last year it was a higher volume, higher percentage of wide receiver usage than it was corner.
"I think we can expect to see that corner percentile and count go up. That’s not to say anything impacts his availability and usage on offense. It just means that cornerback usage will increase.”
Gladstone noted the way the roster was constructed for the upcoming season meant the Jaguars would need Hunter to play more on defense. Still, Jacksonville intends to support Hunter's "dream" of playing receiver and cornerback as long as it can help the team win games.
If Hunter can make more plays on offense like he did in practice on Sunday, the Jaguars will have to put him on the offensive side of the ball more often this fall.
For more on the Jaguars and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines