The most exciting thing about the Jacksonville Jaguars entering the 2025 season was that they traded up to draft Travis Hunter with the second-overall pick in last year's NFL Draft. Fresh off a Heisman season, the former Colorado Buffalo was embarking on the bold plan to play both ways in the NFL.
The Jags’ season ended up being extremely exciting, winning 13 games, but they did most of it without Hunter, who only played seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Hunter is now focused on getting healthy so he can help Jacksonville remain a contender in 2026, but there’s a question about how the team will use him in his second season. Will he still play as a receiver and a corner, or will the team have him focus on one side of the ball?
Liam Coen says Jaguars offensive weapons could factor in the usage of Travis Hunter
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen recently gave a hint as to what the plan for Hunter could look like in year two. In a Thursday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Coen admitted that Hunter getting hurt gave Jacksonville the opportunity to evaluate the team, noting that it allowed them to figure out where playing Hunter will truly help the team take the next step.
The head coach then said, “We do have some other pieces; we have some guys that can go make plays on Sundays,” referring to the offensive side of the ball. That makes it sound like Hunter will be playing more corner than wide receiver in 2026.
"I think Travis Hunter can absolutely handle playing on both sides of the ball..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 5, 2026
He has the craziest conditioning of any athlete I've ever been around and he doesn't get tired"@LiamCoen #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/W7yPnPZp5T
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The Jaguars need Travis Hunter more at corner than on offense
This is an assessment that many fans made during the second half of the 2025 season. Jacksonville thrived offensively at the wide receiver position with Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., and Jakobi Meyers, and also got a lot of help from tight end Brenton Strange. It was a struggle for the team at the cornerback position, though, and the team definitely needs help there.
Knowing that, it would be understandable if the Jaguars just asked Hunter to go help them out at corner. While Lia Coen acknowledged that, he still admitted it’s not that easy since the young player is so gifted. Not only does the head coach believe Hunter can play both ways from a conditioning and mental-capacity standpoint, but he thinks he might be too talented to not get him some snaps on both sides of the ball.
Ultimately, Liam Coen said it’s a conundrum the team is still working through, but his words made it seem like Travis Hunter could be a full-time corner in 2026, with occasional opportunities on offense to show off his unique playmaking.