No easing into the league. Travis Hunter’s NFL debut season will be full speed ahead against some of the best players in the game.
The former Colorado Buffaloes two-way star has officially entered the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and with the schedule release last night, it looks like something out of a video game. Whether he lines up at wide receiver or cornerback—or both, as expected—Hunter is about to be tested every single week.
This is uncharted territory. We’re talking about a rookie who might play full-time on both sides of the ball, a feat that hasn’t been attempted at this level in decades. And Jacksonville isn’t treating him like a project. They’re treating him like THE weapon.
Week 1 to Week 18
The Jaguars open their season against Carolina, which means Hunter’s first professional game at WR could include lining up against Jaycee Horn—a talented but injury-prone corner who’s still one of the best when healthy. Then Week 2 brings a huge national test at CB: Ja'Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals.
By Week 5, Hunter and the Jags will be on Monday Night Football, facing the Kansas City Chiefs and All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie. That’s followed by Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon, one of the top young DBs in the game. Later in the year, it doesn’t let up. Sauce Gardner, Patrick Surtain II, L’Jarius Sneed… the names just keep getting bigger.
If the goal was to throw Hunter into the buzz saw, the NFL nailed it.
Head coach Liam Coen has said publicly that he wants to use Hunter in a similar way to how Coach Prime did at Colorado. Coen’s staff sees Travis as more than just a gadget player. He's the core piece of the future.
On offense, eyes will be everywhere
Hunter will share the field with last year’s standout rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr., which could create serious matchup nightmares for defenses. Teams will have to choose who to double, and that could allow Hunter to shine in one-on-one situations, especially early in the year when he’s still relatively under the radar.
But by the second half of the season? That’s when it gets interesting.
Week 15 against Sauce Gardner. Week 16 at Denver—Hunter’s return to Colorado—where he’ll face 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II. That one I have circled on the calendar.
On Defense, Travis still has something to prove
While many expect Hunter to contribute immediately as a wideout, his impact as a cornerback may take longer to develop. The Jaguars already have a top-tier starter in Tyson Campbell, but they’ve hinted at flexibility, and Hunter may be part of that rotational or matchup-specific approach.
He’ll be tested early, too. fellow rookie Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina), Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati), Nico Collins (Houston), Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco), and Puka Nacua (Rams) are just a few of the names who could be on his assignment list.
There’s no question that Hunter has the talent. What remains to be seen is how he holds up physically over the course of a full NFL season.
The mentality hasn’t changed
At his first Jaguars press conference, when asked who would win in a matchup between Travis the receiver and Travis the cornerback, he didn’t hesitate.
“Travis Hunter,” he said.
This season is going to be a ride. Not just for Hunter, but for every Buffs fan who’s followed his journey from Jackson State to Boulder to Duval County.
We don’t know yet how much he’ll play, or how consistent his impact will be. But we do know this—he’s going to be a story each week.
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