The Jacksonville Jaguars spared no expense to trade up for Travis Hunter in the 2025 draft and made it clear that he'll play two ways like he did at Colorado. However, Charles Davis of CBS has concerns about their intended usage of the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner.
Davis made an appearance on 1010XL and told host Rick Ballou that it will take time for Hunter to take on a full-time role on both sides, citing the physical toll that playing two ways takes on players.
"I think that his age, where his maturity is physically, not mentally, because this is an academic, All-American kid. He wants to play every snap. He did it in college. He did it well, I don't think that you can be successful out of the gate doing that in the NFL in two or three years, as that body grows and matures, and weight stays on you," Davis told Ballou, "Because I think he played in the high 170s last year. You know, guys playing under 115 plays a game? Yeah, so I don't know that the weight stays on you as it will, as it gets better and stronger."
Davis continued, "I think in two to three years, hopefully less, you might very well have a true full-time player with all the questions that you have, that you posed, and all that will have to be answered, and have a plan for him. I don't know that they're gonna want to do that right out of the gate. I think they're gonna want to make him full receiver, master that sprinkle in some defense along the way, if they're so inclined. And then as time goes, I think we may see that."
Davis goes on to say that playing full-time on both sides at the NFL level isn't sustainable, bringing up the fact that Antonio Cromartie and Champ Bailey started one game on offense and defense while Deion Sanders did it a league-high eight times.
Before the draft, Hunter warned NFL teams that they wouldn't play if he were limited to one side of the ball. That won't be an issue with the Jaguars, as they plan to use him on both offense and defense. In fact, general manager James Gladstone said that the Palm West Beach, Florida native will start his onboarding process at receiver and will progressively get more playing time at cornerback as the regular season gets closer.
The Jaguars will play Travis Hunter two ways (but will limit his usage)
It's unrealistic to expect Travis Hunter to play 100, or even 90 percent, of the snaps on both sides without his body breaking down in the long run. But that doesn't mean he won't play a significant role as both a receiver and a cornerback. In fact, the Jaguars' free-agent acquisitions may reveal how they plan to use him.
Back in March, the Jags signed Dyami Brown to a one-year deal. He'll join a wide receiver corps that includes Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Gabe Davis. With the four in the fold, Hunter doesn't have to play a featured role but could still see plenty of targets. Something similar would happen on defense.
The Jags brought in Jourdan Lewis to round out a cornerback group that includes Tyson Campbell and Jarrian Jones. The team's brass has yet to announce how they plan to use Jones and Lewis — both of them can line inside or outside — but their presence allows Hunter, at least in 2025, to tally the right amount of snaps to ensure he stays fresh throughout the game.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars know that Travis Hunter is too talented to relegate him to just one said. They also know that they can overwork him, and will find the right amount of playing time for him.