Before two-way star Travis Hunter suffered a season-ending injury, he more than held his own at cornerback. Once he comes back in the fold, he should have no trouble picking up where he left off. And the Jacksonville Jaguars might have just made a move that could help him unlock his potential.
After the loss to the playoffs, the Jags dismissed secondary coach Ron Milus and replaced him with former Miami Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo. A local beat writer believes Hunter will be the biggest beneficiary of the move.
Travis Hunter will benefit from the Jaguars' hiring of Mathieu Araujo
John Shipley of Sports Illustrated shared his thoughts on the Matheiu Araujo hire and named Travis Hunter the biggest winner, noting that the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner will need a coach who can work with him one-on-one now that he's expected to spend more time at corner.
"This hire seems to be good news for Jaguars cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter," Shipley wrote. "Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said last week that Hunter will spend more time on the defensive side of the ball, and the hiring of Araujo means he now has a new coach with whom he will spend extensive time."
Shipley continued, "Due to his two-way positional value, it is especially important which coaches are with Hunter, and Araujo is now meant to play a big role."
James Gladstone told the local media that Hunter will still play two ways but would lean toward the defensive side because the Jags will undergo changes at cornerback.
Travis Hunter suffered a knee injury just before the Las Vegas Raiders game in Week 9. He underwent season-ending surgery not long after. Before the former Colorado Buffalo got hurt, he played 36 percent of the team's snaps on defense and gave up a completion rate of 50.0 percent. That amount should go up next season.
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Hiring Mathieu Araujo will help them get more out of Travis Hunter
Not long after Travis Hunter got injured, questions about his usage on both offense and defense surfaced. Critics argued that his injury proved that playing two ways wasn't sustainable. What they failed to point out is that other rookies have suffered season-ending injuries even though they just play on one side.
Sure, the Jaguars would've liked Hunter to stay healthy, but injuries cannot be predicted. All they can do is prepare for his return, and bringing in Mathieu Araujo will most definitely help.
Araujo was part of the Miami Dolphins' coaching staff when Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Having worked together, the duo will know how to get the most out of Hunter. But as promising as his future at corner looks, his growth as a receiver shouldn't be overlooked.
Although the West Palm Beach native didn't have much of an impact on offense early in the season, he showed against the Los Angeles Rams that he can be a game-changer when he hauled in eight receptions for 101 yards with a touchdown.
There's no doubt that Travis Hunter came up short of expectations as a rookie, but he's in a prime position to become the player the Jaguars envisioned when they drafted him second overall. Having Mathieu Araujo around should most definitely help.