When the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select Travis Hunter, they believed they were getting a game-altering talent that could change the landscape of not just the game of football but sports as a whole. So far, he's failed to live up to the hype, but the Jags don't appear to be close to pressing the panic button.
In fact, the team's brass has spoken highly of Hunter when the opportunity has arisen. That said, he's recovering from a knee injury. And after his shortened rookie campaign, pressure is beginning to build around the second overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Bleacher Report argues the Jaguars need more from Travis Hunter in Year 2
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report drew up a list of eight NFL players, coaches, and executives under the most pressure to deliver next season. He included Travis Hunter, pointing out that he's yet to prove he's the sports-altering talent the Jaguars envisioned when they traded up to select him second overall in 2025.
"The plan for Hunter appears to be changing in 2026," Kay wrote. "After he played 67 percent of the offensive snaps and 36 percent of the defensive snaps in the games he was available for as a rookie, he should be a far bigger factor in the secondary going forward. Per Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network, he may be utilized as a full-time corner who still plays part-time receiver."
"Regardless of how Coen and GM James Gladstone plan to divvy up Hunter's usage, he will need to deliver far more results. While Hunter isn't in the draft bust discussion yet, he needs to come closer to making the type of impact he had as a Heisman Trophy-winning collegiate star to justify the major investment the Jags made to acquire him," Kay said.
For context the Jags traded their 2025 first-round pick and their 2026 first-rounder in exchange for the second overall selection. which they then used to choose Hunter. As part of the deal, Jacksonville also got a fourth-rounder. That pick became running back Bhayshul Tuten.
You could make the case that the deal isn't as lopsided as it's portrayed to be. That said, getting drafted as high as Hunter did comes with expectations. The fact that he was the Heisman Trophy winner in 2024 after playing two ways full-time put additional pressure on him to deliver.
However, Hunter's rookie production didn't pop off the stat sheet. He hauled in 28 receptions for 298 yards with a touchdown at receiver and allowed a 60 percent completion rate on defense. Now, the former Colorado Buffalo was beginning to hit his stride when the knee injury brought his season to an abrupt halt.
Not long after sustaining the knee injury, Hunter underwent surgery. He's still recovering, and Liam Coen says he's ahead of schedule. That said, he may not be truly 100 percent until the season starts, which may limit the amount of work he'll do in training camp. This, in turn, could have a negative effect on his production.
The Jaguars do need more from Travis Hunter in Year 2
The Jaguars knew that it was going to take time for Travis Hunter to get fully acclimated to the NFL. After all, most rookies face a rough transition to the NFL, and the Wes Palm Beach, Florida native did it while playing two positions.
That said, there's a point at which the Jags can no longer wait for Hunter and will need him to come through. This begs the question: What exactly does Jacksonville need to see from him in Year 2? From an outside perspective, it's hard to tell just what kind of expectations the Jaguars have for him.
That said, it's fair to assume that Jacksonville wants Hunter to be a lockdown corner and make game-changing plays that help the team win. Similarly, he needs to move the chains and put points on the scoreboard whenever he gets the ball on offense.
The truth is that the noise will only continue to grow as long as Travis Hunter fails to make an impact. But if he does, he'll make the Jaguars look smart for deciding to trade up for him.