Stunning Travis Hunter projection will make Jaguars fans run through a wall

Since Travis Hunter is expected to play two ways for the Jacksonville Jaguars, it's only fair that he's compared to one of the last players who played both offense and defense for a significant stretch in the NFL. Just recently, an NFL voice made the case that the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner can be as good as his coach at Colorado, Deion Sanders.

Former NFL cornerback Jahleel Addae argues that he is looking forward to seeing Hunter in training camp, noting that he's got the potential to be as good as Sanders was in the 1990s.

"All the hype around Travis Hunter, we know his athletic ability, what he can do, what kind of plays he can make, but I want to see is he going to truly play both ways," Addae said. "He's down there with my former DB coach, Ron Miles, who was a technician genius. I know he will have him ready on the defensive side, but can he take on the toll, not only physically, but mentally? Being in the NFL, learning those playbooks are totally different than the playbooks that you're learning in college."

Addae continued, "I'm pulling for this kid. They're saying he's the best athlete since Prime Time Deion Sanders. I think he has an opportunity to be that. But can he handle it, both mentally, physically, on both sides of the ball? Because look, you're going to be playing defense one week against Tyree Hill, and then you're going to swap, and then you're going to be playing Ja'Marr Chase, and then in that game you're going to be playing another top... It's just so many athletes; these are the unicorns of the world. These are the unicorns of the world in the NFL. Can he do it weekend, week out? I'm excited to see what Travis Hunter."

Sanders, the fifth overall pick in the 1989 draft, played for the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, and Washington Commanders. He earned eight Pro Bowl selections and six First-Team All-Pro designations. It was during his stint with Big D that Neon Deion played the most snaps at corner and receiver.

In 1996, Sanders hauled in 36 receptions for 475 yards with one touchdown and logged two interceptions.

Hunter played two ways full-time for the Buffaloes and made it clear that he wouldn't go to an NFL team that limited him to one side of the ball. The Jags, for their part, embraced the idea of having the West Palm Beach, Florida native play offense and defense from the get-go. In fact, the team's brass has had a clear vision in place for his onboarding.

After trading up to select Hunter second overall, general manager James Gladstone said that he would start his onboarding on offense and get snaps at corner when the regular season approached. That's more or less how things turned out.

Hunter got reps at receiver throughout most of the offseason program but began to practice on defense at mandatory camp. While there are concerns about how the team handles his workload, he's so far made a smooth transition to the pros.

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The Jaguars will be thrilled if Travis Hunter becomes as dominant as Deion Sanders was

All things considered, comparing Travis Hunter to Deion Sanders is bold but warranted, since there is no other NFL player who's seen extended playing time on both offense and defense in the modern era. The Jacksonville Jaguars will be pleased if that's how his career plays out.

Now, things are fluid, and Hunter may see more playing time as a receiver than on defense, at least in his rookie season. It's also worth noting that Sanders never truly played two ways and mostly lined up at corner while moonlighting on offense.

Having said that, Travis Hunter most definitely has the potential to have as big an impact as Deion Sanders had during his heyday, even if his usage doesn't exactly mirror his games

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