How Travis Hunter Has Hall Of Fame Path With Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars fans should be ecstatic that their franchise traded up for Colorado Buffaloes two-way phenom Travis Hunter. They'll likely need his services at both receiver and cornerback, setting the stage for a potential Hall of Fame career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, arrived on Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. The team traded up from fifth to second after making a deal with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. The Jaguars held a press conference to introduce the rookie with general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen and Jaguars owner Shahid Khan. | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars rocked the NFL world on Thursday when they traded up to draft Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

Hunter will officially add teal to the black and gold he donned during his two decorated years in Boulder, flying up draft boards and becoming a hot commodity for a Jacksonville franchise desperate for a superstar.

Hunter brings a reputation that includes college football's shiniest trophy case over the past 12 months. The two-way star won the Biletnikoff Award for outstanding wide receiver skills and the Chuck Bednarik Award for lockdown ability at cornerback, not to mention the Heisman Trophy, Associated Press Player of the Year, consensus First-Team All-American statu, back-to-back Paul Hornung Awards and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter is selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the number two pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

He'll look to become the NFL's first full-time two-way player since the 1960s. While many have questioned how a pro-style practice regimen and more muscular bodies could affect him, Hunter has the tools and endurance to excel on both ends in the pros, something the Jags may need him to do.

Jacksonville is one of the NFL's most downtrodden franchises, finishing last year 4-13 and failing to capitalize on brief spurts of success, like in 2017. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was drafted first overall in 2021 with hopes that he could lead the team back to the promised land.

Hunter instantly becomes a priority target for Lawrence alongside wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis. He and Thomas could become one of the league's top receiver tandems, as the former LSU Tiger was third in the NFL in receiving yards (1,282) and tied for sixth in touchdown grabs (10) as a rookie in 2024.

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Lawrence has shown flashes of elite play but hasn't quite put together a cohesive campaign, so a dynamo like Hunter could guide him there. Jacksonville had a somewhat feeble run game last season, so a player like Colorado's Heisman could be incorporated in coach Liam Coen's system in a myriad of ways.

Coen has been one of the NFL's brightest offensive minds over the last several seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He helped quarterback Baker Mayfield lead the team to the postseason with elite receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin by his side. Coen has also had success working with rookie wideouts, helping third-round pick Jalen McMillan to eight touchdowns in 13 games during the 2024 season.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, left, speaks during a press conference next to general manager James Gladstone at Miller Electric Center Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On defense, Hunter immediately becomes the Jags' top cornerback in an otherwise barren secondary. Jacksonville had the third-fewest interceptions in 2024 (six), along with by far the most passing yards allowed to opposing quarterbacks.

It's a glaring weakness, so if Hunter were to play the majority of his time on a specific side of the ball, it would likely be defense. However, with an offensive guru coach and a quarterback desperate for another weapon, Hunter could fit like a glove in Duval county.

Hunter's two-way acumen could make him the NFL's Shohei Ohtani. While it's difficult to compare across sports, the possibility of him seeing the field as both an elite receiver and corner has gone from the brunt of a joke to a possible necessity. If Hunter can prove the doubters wrong and do so, a gold jacket could be in his future.