Former Colorado Heisman Trophy winner and unicorn Travis Hunter didn't have the rookie season he hoped for. That was more due to injury than his play on the field, where he consistently flashed the potential on both sides of the ball that led to him being drafted No. 2 overall by the Jaguars in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But Hunter only played seven games in his rookie season before having surgery to repair the LCL in his right knee.
Even with Hunter sidelined, the Jaguars took a massive step forward in 2025, going 13-4 and winning the AFC South. Jacksonville plans to keep building toward Super Bowl contention, and Hunter remains a massive part of the future plans in Duval.
His usage just might change dramatically.
NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe spoke on Friday about Jacksonville's plans for Hunter in year two.
Jaguars plan to make Travis Hunter more of a CB - less of a WR - per report
Hunter will continue to play both ways in 2026. The Jaguars are not discouraged by his injury-plagued rookie year. But after spending more time focused on being a WR in his debut NFL season, Wolfe reports that the Jaguars plan to make Hunter a full-time CB and a part-time WR next season.
"He will play both sides again in 2026," Wolfe said. "The big change may come in the usage. From what I understand, they plan to play him as a full-time cornerback and a part-time receiver, which is a switch from last year when he played more than double of his snaps at receiver than cornerback. ...They think Travis Hunter can be elite at cornerback and still be an impact player on offense."
That type of usage is similar to what Hunter's college head coach, Deion Sanders, saw in the NFL. He was too good at CB to be taken off the field, but his elite playmaking ability saw him with opportunities on offense and in the return game.
Hunter always seemed to project better as a corner than a WR. He's good enough to be really good at both, but he could become the best CB in the NFL if his focus is predominantly on that side of the football.