One of the most intriguing storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the regular season is how they'll split his practice time and how they'll unleash him as a rookie. He's getting reps on both sides of the ball during the offseason program, but a handful of analysts have suggested he only focus on playing wide receiver. However, an NFL voice disagrees and argues that the former Colorado standout won't get much playing time on that side of the ball in 2025.
Jeffri Chadiha of NFL Media drew up a list of bold predictions for the 2025 season and believes that Hunter won't play receiver much as a rookie, bringing up the Jags' surplus at the position as the reason.
"The Jaguars are spending more time coaching up Hunter at receiver because he needs more work at that position," Chadiha wrote. "Despite his success as a two-way player at Colorado, he's going to need more reps to learn how to operate at that spot against top-flight defensive backs. That doesn't mean he won't have some impressive moments."
Chadiha continued, "It's just that he won't even be Jacksonville's top target, as the team already has a strong receiver in second-year pro Brian Thomas Jr., who produced 87 receptions, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie. The Jags don't have anybody in the secondary with the potential to do what Hunter can do. That's why he's going to shine more on that side of the ball."
Now, just because Hunter won't be WR1 doesn't mean he won't get lots of targets. In fact, playing opposite Brian Thomas Jr. will be beneficial as he'll face fewer double teams.
After the Jaguars drafted Hunter second overall, general manager James Gladstone said that the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner's onboarding would start on offense, and he would get practice time at corner as the season approached.
More recently, Gladstone clarified during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, stating that Hunter began his development at receiver because it has more nuances than cornerback. But despite the fact that Jacksonville appears to have a clear plan to develop Hunter, the breakdown of his practice reps is getting lots of attention.
The Jaguars will find the best way to unleash Travis Hunter next season
All things considered, Jeff Chadiha made valid points. Aside from receiver being a bit more complex than cornerback, the Jacksonville Jaguars already have a pretty good starting trio in Brian Thomas Jr., Dyami Brown, and Parker Washington. This isn't to say that Travis Hunter will only play on defense, but rather that he may not play receiver full-time as a rookie.
Having said that, you could make the same argument at corner. The Jags already had Jarrian Jones and Tyson Campbell last season. They added Jourdan Lewis in free agency. Couple that with the fact that fourth-year pro Montaric Brown is having a strong offseason, and you could also make the case that Hunter won't get much playing time on defense because of how stacked their cornerback room is.
The truth is that this is a unique situation, so there's no blueprint for how to best approach it. Although the Jags have a plan, they'll need to make adjustments on the fly to ensure Hunter gets ample practice time on both sides of the ball. After all, they didn't draft him to stay on the sidelines. The team's brass surely wants him to get on the field as soon as possible, but to get the best return on their investment, they must balance his practice time.
Maybe Travis Hunter will see more time at receiver. Perhaps he'll make a quicker adjustment on defense. But the Jaguars won't mind where he lines up as long as he makes plays.