Travis Hunter is capable of so many things on the football field.
He showed that in his Heisman Trophy season for the Colorado Buffaloes when he was a superstar at both wide receiver and cornerback.
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded a bunch to move up to the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and get Hunter, taking him from the Cleveland Browns, who originally had that pick.
As a rookie, though, Hunter struggled to realize his potential in the NFL. The Jags tinkered with his role, and he also missed the second half of the season with an injury.
That made Week 1 of the 2026 season an important one. What Hunter was going to show up?
For that matter, what would his role even be?
Is Travis Hunter Playing Offense?
The plan is that Hunter will play offense occasionally.
He’s going to be much closer to a full-time defender.
The Jaguars decided that Hunter will play cornerback as much as he can this season.
It makes a lot of sense, really.
It’s easier to rotate in as a receiver for occasional offensive plays.
It would be harder to find a true rhythm covering opposing players at cornerback while running on and off the field.
Jaguars WR Depth Chart Helps
The Jaguars help this cause because they have so much wide receiver depth.
Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers are all big-time players. As long as they’re healthy, Hunter doesn’t need to be on the field that much.
Of note: Hunter can still be a big difference maker this season, no matter his role.
In a new article last Thursday by ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, they both note that Hunter could put himself in position to win Comeback Player of the Year.
Graziano writes that Hunter is a strong candidate “if he plays like a lockdown corner and catches, say, three touchdown passes on offense. The Jags playing well again also would help.”
Fowler added: “The way Jacksonville plans to use Hunter — as a primary zone corner and a ‘package’ receiver — will showcase his splash-play ability.”
Hunter is worth watching, no matter where he is on the field.
Is Travis Hunter Playing Offense Today? Jaguars’ 2-Way Player Has Clear Role