Legendary Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has leapt to the defense of Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter, after a video of him struggling in camp went viral. Bryant had no time for the video and let it be known in a short social media post.
Dez Bryant Defends Travis Hunter After Video of Rookie’s Camp Struggles Goes Viral
Generational two-way prospect Hunter was one of the darlings of the pre-draft process this year, as fans and analysts salivated at the idea of him lighting up the league on both sides of the ball. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner has recently been the subject of criticism, though, after a video emerged of him struggling to execute routes in camp.
In what will be just one of hundreds of viral offseason clips that will be over-analyzed between now and September, Hunter can be seen stumbling on open routes in practice. While the clips were cherry-picked and strung together, it was enough for fans to voice their underwhelmed reactions online.
The video was posted by fantasy sports giant Sleeper, with the caption, “Rate these routes from Travis Hunter from 0-10.” Clearly unimpressed with the premature criticism of the rookie, Bryant shared the post with his own caption.
“Rate his playmaking ability!”
Rate his playmaking Ability! https://t.co/vtuQUS6V8W
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant)
Bryant, who played eight years in Dallas, earning three Pro Bowl nods, was no stranger to making plays himself and is clearly excited to see Hunter do the same when given the chance. Bryant led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2014, earning his sole first-team All-Pro selection, and is the Cowboys’ all-time leader in receiving scores (73).
‘He Can Run All Day’ – Trevor Lawrence Talks Up Hunter During OTAs
And it’s not just Bryant who is feeling positive about Hunter’s NFL prospects. Taking time during OTAs to speak to the media, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence talked up Hunter’s energy and revealed his surprise at the player’s explosiveness.
“He’s got a lot of juice. He can run all day, got a lot of energy, I love it. Good energy, always dabbing guys up, just bringing juice every day. Like I said, high motor, can just go. He’s like a kid, just kinda runs around all day, he doesn’t get tired, it seems like.
“So you can’t have enough of that. And then, as far as talent, it kinda speaks for itself. Ball skills, run after the catch, he’s very explosive. I just didn’t realize how explosive he is, in and out of cuts. He’s impressive to watch, and we’ve gotten to connect a couple times; it’s only gonna get better and better. We’ve only worked together for a couple days now, so we’ve got some time to really dial in on the details.”
Trevor Lawrence on Travis Hunter 👀
“He doesn’t get tired”
“Didn’t realize how explosive he is in and out of cuts, He’s impressive”
🎥 : @Jaguars pic.twitter.com/HdVAlcUKXE
— We Coming 🦬 (@SkoBuffsGoBuffs)
While some have expressed their concern at the clips of Hunter struggling in camp, just as many have written it off as nothing to worry about. Hunter’s displays at Colorado were impressive enough for the Jaguars to make a huge move for him in the draft, and they’ll be confident of extracting more of the same come September.
