Do the Jaguars need to abandon two-way role for Travis Hunter? Examining future for dual-threat rookie

The hype for Travis Hunter was off the charts leading into the 2025 NFL Draft. So much so that questions of where he'd ultimately end up completely placed talk about a quarterback, Cam Ward, being the clear-cut No. 1 overall pick, on the back burner. In today's NFL, where everything revolves around the comings and goings of the quarterback, Hunter's aura engulfing the pre-draft process was impressive in itself. 

And when the Jaguars then stunned the league by vaulting up to the No. 2 overall pick in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns to bring in Hunter, it was pure pandemonium.

The reason for all the intrigue surrounding the Colorado product was because of his stellar collegiate career as both a wide receiver and cornerback, and it was his intention to continue playing both ways at the NFL level. The Jaguars were not only on board with it, but a driving force in sending the treasure trove to Cleveland with the expectation that he'd continue to do so at an elite level. 

While there were flashes of that brilliance beginning to peak out, things have largely cratered for Hunter and the Jaguars, with the first-rounder now out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair the LCL in his right knee. 

Durability, specifically whether or not Hunter (or any player for that matter) playing both ways was sustainable from a health standpoint, was one of the few critiques/questions that surrounded the prospect in this attempt to be a top-flight receiver and corner in the NFL. Those concerns have since been realized, and now Jacksonville is faced with some existential questions as to the future of its No. 2 overall pick.

Travis Hunter's rookie season at a glance

Travis Hunter

JAC • WR • #12

TAR45

REC28

REC YDs298

REC TD1

FL0

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• Offensive snaps played: 323
• Defensive snaps played: 162
• Defensive stats: 15 total tackles, three passes defended, 56.3% completion rate against as the primary defender, 61.5 passer rating against as the primary defender

Hunter became just the second player in the last 20 years to log at least 150 offensive and defensive snaps in a season. He was also the first player since 2000 to have at least 200 yards receiving and 10 or more defensive tackles in a single season. Entering Week 11, Hunter is third among rookie wide receivers in receptions and fourth in receiving yards. 

What Jaguars are saying about Hunter's two-way future?

Naturally, coach Liam Coen was asked about Hunter's future as a two-way player in the aftermath of the news coming out that he'd be done for the year. Coen noted that it's "very premature" to come to any sort of conclusion on that front. 

"I understand there's a lot of questions about if he'll remain a two-way player and all those kind of things," Coen told reporters Wednesday. "All of that is very premature, and at the end of the day, like every player on this roster, he'll be evaluated at the end of the season and we'll be able to give him his three better, three best and the things that we need to continue to improve upon and the things we need to build on."

Should Travis Hunter continue being a two-way player?

The Jaguars need to pick a lane with Hunter or at least weigh one side of the ball drastically over the other. The first-rounder is certainly capable of playing both ways, but they run the risk of making him a master of none, at least in this early stage of his development. 

At the beginning of the season, Jacksonville tried to make him a true two-way player, and it produced lukewarm results. Specifically, in Week 2 and Week 3, Hunter logged over 50% of the offensive snaps and over 60% of the defensive snaps. Over that stretch, he caught four of his eight targets as a receiver for 43 yards and posted eight tackles while breaking up one pass. Hunter also gave up five catches on seven targets for 64 yards as the primary defender in coverage. 

After that Week 3 matchup against Houston, where Hunter logged a season-high 68.3% of the defensive snaps, the Jaguars seemed to soften their push toward making him a 50-50 two-way player and favored him more on offense as his snaps on that side of the ball increased each week from there on out.

Since Week 4, Hunter caught 18 of his 29 targets for 222 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. That put him on a 17-game pace of roughly 76.5 receptions, 943.5 yards, and 4.3 touchdowns. It's no surprise to see that when Hunter saw that big increase in snaps in Week 7 that he enjoyed his breakout performance of the season as a receiver. He was targeted 14 times and hauled in eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, albeit in a loss to the Rams. Meanwhile, he was in coverage for 12 pass defense snaps (via TruMedia) and broke up his lone target against. 

That feels like a potential sweet spot for Hunter as he and the Jaguars look toward 2026. Instead of playing more than half of the snaps both ways, Jacksonville should look to make him primarily a receiver with a starter's snap load, and then situationally send him out in coverage as a corner. 

Travis Hunter was on verge of breaking out at WR -- now knee surgery has ended the Jaguars rookie's season

Jared Dubin

Revisiting the Jaguars-Browns blockbuster

The early returns on moving down from the No. 2 overall pick favor the Browns. While Hunter has the highest ceiling of any player involved thus far (Cleveland's 2026 first-rounder still to be determined), the Browns came away with three key contributors: defensive tackle Mason Graham, along with running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson.

Graham looks like he's going to be far more than a consolation prize with the fifth overall pick. Entering Week 11, the rookie is graded as the 37th-ranked interior defensive lineman overall, per PFF. While the sack totals (0.5) are not there, he's been able to get after the quarterback from the interior and has 16 total pressures thus far while batting down three passes. He's also been stout against the run. 

Meanwhile, the Browns were able to completely reshape their backfield through this trade with the additions of Judkins and Sampson. After joining the team in Week 2, Judkins has been sensational, rushing for 561 yards and five touchdowns through eight games. That puts him on a rushing pace of roughly 1,192 yards and 10 touchdowns for a full season. While Judkins is the feature back and a potential star at the position, Sampson has been solid as a passing-down back when given the opportunity, catching 21 of his 24 targets for 136 yards receiving. 

If that 2026 first-rounder from the Jaguars helps land the Browns another starter, it's a lopsided deal in their favor, especially if it's an avenue toward their starting quarterback. 

Can the Jaguars still 'win' the trade?

When the Jaguars made the trade up to No. 2 to land Hunter, it became the first deal inside the top two for a non-quarterback since Orlando Pace in 1997. It was a massive price tag, but it was for a player who they believe can be a top player at two key positions. If he one day lives up to being Jacksonville's No. 1 receiver and No. 1 corner and does so at a high level, it could maybe end up being worth the haul. Right now, it feels like an overpay for a player who had his plate filled to the brim and got hurt. They need to focus on making him a No. 1 option in one area before moving on to the next, and before we can consider them a potential winner in this deal.