The Jacksonville Jaguars made one of the boldest moves of the 2025 NFL Draft, trading up to the No. 2 overall pick to select Colorado’s Travis Hunter — a two-way phenom who dominated at both cornerback and wide receiver during his college career. The decision was as much about upside as it was identity. The Jaguars didn’t just draft a playmaker; they invested in a game-changer who can tilt the field in all three phases.
But how exactly do the Jaguars plan to use a player as unique as Hunter in his rookie season? According to one NFL insider, Jacksonville has a calculated approach — one that starts with patience, prioritization, and long-term vision. The team isn’t throwing him into the deep end on both sides of the ball. Not yet.
Jacksonville Jaguars Prioritize Travis Hunter’s Role Early in NFL Offseason
On Monday’s “NFL Live,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano offered a window into Jacksonville’s internal plan. “They want him to learn the offense, like make that a priority first,” Graziano explained. “Then they’ll feed him the defense as he goes along.”
"They want him to learn the offense, like make that a priority first. … Then they'll feed him the defense."@DanGrazianoESPN says the Jags expect Travis Hunter to contribute on both sides of the ball 😤 pic.twitter.com/90JF4C1USJ
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL)
That measured approach reflects both the Jaguars’ expectations and their awareness of the challenge Hunter faces in transitioning to the NFL. It’s rare for a rookie to handle even one side of the ball at a high level. For Hunter, the Jaguars are easing the burden — but not diminishing their expectations.
“Given the price the Jaguars paid to trade up and select Travis Hunter second in the NFL Draft,” Graziano continued, “they expect him to contribute on both sides of the ball and in a significant way.”
The short-term plan, however, is about gradual exposure. Jacksonville views offense as the more pressing installation for now — likely due to their need for explosive weapons around quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Hunter’s dynamic ability with the ball in his hands could immediately add juice to the passing game, especially with the departure of Christian Kirk and Evan Engram.
“But in terms of giving him everything all at once,” Graziano added, “they felt the better way to approach it when he first got there was to teach him the offense, and then start adding in aspects of the defense as he went along.”
Hunter himself has suggested that defense might be easier to learn — a point the Jaguars seem to agree with. “If the Jaguars agree with him,” Graziano said, “then you might see him major in offense throughout the offseason and learn the defense as it goes along.”
What will be most interesting to watch is how Hunter adjusts to NFL speed. The transition is tough enough for one-way players, let alone a receiver/cornerback. He was hailed as elite on both sides of the ball at Colorado, but how will that translate to the pros?
In the long run, Jacksonville still intends to unleash Hunter in all the ways he excelled at Colorado. But for now, their bet is on development over chaos — ensuring that the rookie phenom isn’t just busy, but effective.
