![Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) catches a pass during an NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/55/01k1vp6zmn37cfh2g599.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) catches a pass during an NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
Since the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Travis Hunter second overall, he's been the talk of the town, and rightly so. The former Colorado Buffalo is close to being the first player who'll play two ways full-time or as close as he can get in the modern NFL era. And just recently, head coach Liam Coen took the hype surrounding the reigning Heisman Trophy winner to a whole new level.
Just recently, Coen made an apperance on the Rich Eisen Show and said that Hunter could legitimately win both the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards. Here's the skinny.
"I do think it's possible," Coen told host Rich Eisen, via John Mitchell of Glory Colorado. "He's committed, man. He's committed to driving, not just himself, but his teammates as well."
Hunter's odds of winning Offensive Rookie sit at +1,000, per ESPN BET. On the other hand, he's at +1,000 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
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Why Jaguars two-way star Travis Hunter can win Offensive and Defensive Rookie in 2025
Usually, Liam Coen's would be coachspeak, a way to prop up a player. However, Travis Hunter has a legitimate chance to become the first player in the Super Bowl era to win Offensive and Defensive Rookie.
For starters, the West Palm Beach native already showed at Colorado that he can play two ways at a high level. Moreover, he won pretty much every award a player can get at the collegiate level, even those you probably had no idea existed.
Granted, you could make the case that success in college doesn't always carry over into the pros, and you would be right. However, Hunter has been off to a great start to his pro career. Aside from a rough practice back at Organized Team Activities, the Jaguars' onboarding plan has ensured that his transition to the NFL is as smooth as possible.
Early in the offseason program, Hunter mostly lined up at receiver because of the nuances of the position. Then, he began to get reps at corner at mandatory minicamp.
By the time the Jags opened training camp, Hunter was already switching back and forth between offense and defense. And when Jacksonville held the mock game at EverBank Stadium, he practiced on offense and defense on the same day. Throughout the process, the first-year pro has showcased his playmaking skills on both sides of the ball.
The Jaguars have put Travis Hunter in a position to succeed as a rookie
Leaving his game-altering talent aside, Hunter landed in a situation that can allow him to have success right off the bat. He'll be catching passes from Trevor Lawrence, who's the healthiest he's been in a while and has improved since Liam Coen took over early in 2025.
Moreover, Hunter will find favorable matchups playing next to budding star Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown. With the three in the fold, opposing defenses will have trouble double-teamming any of them.
On defense, Hunter may not start due to the presence of Tyson Campbell, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis. But he'll still get an extended number of snaps as a rookie. Staying fresh and playing in specific situations will allow him to make plays.
When you put it all together, Travis Hunter is in a position to win both Rookie of the Year honors. Will he pull it off? Maybe not, but he most definitely has a chance.