How Did Travis Hunter Play in NFL Preseason Debut? A Look at the Jaguars Star’s Stats and Highlights vs. Steelers

Among the most anticipated preseason debuts in the first full exhibition slate, that of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Travis Hunter was among the most prominent. As the first-ever two-way player projected to log major minutes on both sides of the football (wide receiver and cornerback), it was going to be interesting to see how he fared at the NFL level with such a heavy workload.

Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 of the preseason, the youngster got the opportunity to display a glimpse of his arsenal and unmatched physical attributes. The plan from head coach Liam Coen was to give the rookie reps on offense as well as defense.

However, how did his first slice of NFL action, albeit in preseason, actually look like?

Travis Hunter Offers a Glimpse of His Potential

The 2025 NFL Draft class was a unique case where the best player walking into the draft wasn’t a quarterback. Instead, it was a wholly unique two-way player that had gained widespread recognition and won the Heisman Trophy in his final collegiate season for the Colorado Buffaloes.

However, as he made his way onto the NFL stage, there was one major question that he needed to answer at the professional level. During his time playing under the legendary Deion Sanders, Hunter became famous for his ability to suit up at both the wide receiver and the cornerback position.

The Jaguars saw the upside he could bring to their team, orchestrating a draft-day trade to move up from the fifth to the second overall pick. In exchange for their first-round picks in 2025 and 2026, alongside 2025 second- and fifth-round picks, Cleveland also gave Jacksonville the 104th and 200th overall picks in 2025.

Immediately after kickoff Saturday, he was part of the initial drive with Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the starting unit. As the Jaguars secured three points with a field goal, Hunter grabbed two receptions for nine yards.

Travis Hunter makes his first catch of the preseason 👀

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9IxLyHoJKS

— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2025

However, for the time being, that was all the reps Coen planned for the rookie. At least on offense. While not suiting up for the Steelers’ first drive, Hunter was back on the field, this time as a corner, when Pittsburgh’s Mason Rudolph got the ball for a second time.

.@TravisHunterJr getting some snaps on defense too 👀

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/XT8fQDD72C

— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2025

On the defensive side of the ball, he was on the field for eight plays. However, he didn’t see the ball come his way a ton, leading to a final stat line at halftime that reflected just one missed tackle.

With both squads emptying out their benches in the second half, the rookie from Colorado ended up staying on the field for a total of 18 plays, 10 on the offensive side, and the rest on defense. While far from the finished product, it did offers fans a glimpse of the potential Hunter has in the NFL as he continues on uncharted waters.