Anthony Campanile Addresses Unprecedented Preparation for Travis Hunter Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars' second-overall pick Travis Hunter Jr. is aiming to become the NFL's first prominent full-time two-way player.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12), left, is pressured by defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile during an NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Saturday, August 9, the Jacksonville Jaguars began their 2025 preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They ultimately came up short on a potential game-winning drive and fell 25-31, but new head coach Liam Coen got to see plenty of things his team can build upon throughout the rest of training camp and in their next two exhibitions.

The Jags' starters were limited against the Steelers, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the first-team offense playing just one series. That drive also marked the debut of Jacksonville's second-overall pick, Travis Hunter Jr. As promised, the former Colorado Buffaloes two-way star played snaps on offense and defense against Pittsburgh, gaining a bit of experience on both sides of the ball in the NFL.

He showed promise in his stints at both wide receiver and cornerback. On defense, he did register a missed tackle in the open field, but he also prevented his assignment from earning any targets. It was an encouraging start for Travis Hunter Jr., but he has a long way to go if he's to become the NFL's first prominent full-time two-way player for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) wore a towel around his neck during the Jaguars 14th NFL training camp session at Miller Electric Center Tuesday August 12, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars travel to New Orleans to play the Saints this Sunday in their second preseason game. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile addresses Travis Hunter Jr.'s unprecedented preparation for the NFL

While the NFL has seen a handful of two-way players come into the league out of college, none have made it as a full-time performer on both sides of the ball. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Travis Hunter Jr. will be looking to buck that trend in the 2025 NFL season, with Head Coach Liam Coen stating that he intends for his first-round pick to play 80 percent of the snaps on both offense and defense.

In his first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hunter Jr. appeared as a wide receiver and a cornerback, although he didn't play on consecutive possessions. If he's to hit that 80 percent target, he won't be able to sit out any full series in the regular season.

Conditioning and endurance will be paramount to his success and ability to accomplish his goal of playing wide receiver and cornerback at the professional level. Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile was asked how the Jaguars have prepared for what will be an unprecedented approach for Hunter Jr.:

"I think [Head Coach Liam Coen], like I said before a couple of weeks ago, did a great job just laying that out, and he had total clarity as to how he wanted to do it. He really presented it in an easy way for all of us to understand, and he's managed Travis's time really, really well out here every day. So, he really was kind of the guy that drove the process on that, and I think he did a really good job with it.”

So far, Campanile has been encouraged by what he's seen from Hunter Jr.:

“He’s doing a good job. He’s progressing every day. Like I said, he's done a great job with splitting time on offense and defense. So, it's a tough task, but he's handled it really, really well. Like anything else, there are things to correct, but some things he did really good the other day.”

In the NCAA, Travis Hunter Jr. averaged well over 100 snaps a game for the Colorado Buffaloes. His tireless work ethic and love of football were huge contributors to his draft stock and overall success at the collegiate level. Time will tell if he'll be able to translate that into a full-time two-way career in the NFL, but all signs point to him being a successful wide receiver and cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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