T
he Jacksonville Jaguars have all the makings to be one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL this season. Bringing in a new head coach and general manager this offseason, the Jaguars entered a completely new era, hoping to change their fortunes and become perennial contenders. But the most important offseason move that the franchise made was not bringing in a new regime– it was drafting two-way star, Travis Hunter.
Hunter enters the NFL as arguably its most highly anticipated player in history. A dominant wide receiver and cornerback during his time at Colorado– ultimately leading to him winning the Heisman Trophy last season– Hunter will attempt to do that in the NFL and become the first player to play both sides of the ball on a regular basis week in and week out. Because of his extreme abilities, Hunter gave himself a new nickname in a sit-down interview with CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco on July 29.
Hunter’s New Nickname
Hunter’s new nickname makes perfect sense for what he can do– unicorn. Hunter made it clear that he does not want to be used in situational circumstances on either side of the ball, instead hoping to be a starter at both cornerback and wide receiver from kickoff all the way to the final whistle. When Prisco told Hunter he needed a nickname for himself for his skillset, he quickly responded.
“It’s the unicorn. … Yessir, it’s a unicorn,” Hunter said.
And there is no doubt that Hunter is viewed as a unicorn type player. Over usage is the most common concern for Hunter, with many worried that playing as much as he hopes to play will lead to injuries. But despite all the concerns, Hunter is not worried and instead wants to be the exact type of player that the Jaguars drafted him to be.
“I definitely think I could play them all. If I didn’t think I could play them all, I wouldn’t be trying to do it,” Hunter said about playing both ways in the pros.
Hunter’s Secret to Success
It is one thing to be a two-way player in college, but to do it for 17 games in the NFL each season for multiple years is a whole different ballgame. Luckily for Hunter, he makes sure to do everything he can to stay prepared so that having two jobs to accomplish is not too much for him to handle.
“Just my mental,” Hunter said when asked about what makes him believe he can accomplish being a two-way player. “You’ve got to have the right mindset going into it. You’ve got to have the right knowledge. You’ve got to understand what you’re doing when you’re going out there. You’ve got to understand how to take care of your body, too.”
Hunter’s first game as an NFL player will be on Aug. 9, when the Jaguars host the Pittsburgh Steelers to begin the three-game preseason. After that, the Jaguars travel to New Orleans to face the Saints on Aug. 17 before closing out the preseason with another road game against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 23.
Jaguars Rookie Travis Hunter Gives Himself New Nickname