Why Jaguars Have to Continuously Polish Vision for Travis Hunter

The Jacksonville Jaguars could change Travis Hunter's role every week, but former WR says they should limit his defensive snaps early on.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) catches a pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16), not shown, during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Travis Hunter has received so much publicity over the last three years that most people forget he’s yet to play a snap in the NFL. He’s still a rookie.

And until he becomes a veteran, he’ll continue to hear from his largest group of skeptics – veteran NFL players. One of those skeptics, from a chorus of those who can’t envision Hunter successfully playing high-volume snaps on both sides of the ball, had some advice for the Jaguars on Monday.

Former NFL wide receiver Andrew Hawkins said the Jaguars’ plan will succeed if Jacksonville includes one specific strategy to begin the rookie’s NFL career.

“If their plan is on defense to put him in nickel packages,” Hawkins said Monday afternoon on NFL Live. “Now look, do I think he'll eventually be able to play every down? Possibly. I've never seen it before, but in the NFL that is a really, really hard ask. But that's exactly what the Jaguars want.”

Hawkins, who played for Cincinnati and Cleveland over his six NFL seasons, said the Jaguars had the correct approach this offseason by having Hunter focus primarily on offense. And now that Hunter has reported to training camp, it’s time to strategize his practice schedule.

“But that means on defense, if I'm them, I'm playing him more sparingly,” said Hawkins. “I'm putting him in man-to-man situations. I'm putting him in on third down, ways that you can keep him fresh for offense and still be effective.

“You would hate to have him on both sides of the ball and him be a jack of all trades, but master of none.”

Neither general manager James Gladstone nor head coach Liam Coen played in the NFL, and that could affect how they approach using Hunter. Executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli, the Jaguars' only representative in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will provide the checks and balances.

“Along the way, you can count however many drafts you want to,” Gladstone said hours after trading up to draft Hunter on April 24, “there are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself.

“Travis, while he has a lot to still earn, in our eyes, has the potential to do just that. It’s an exciting step for us to take, and obviously a lot of work to be done because, while Travis’s dream is now reality, he is still dreaming in a different way than most do. He prepares in a different way than most do, but now it’s time to bring it to life.”

Duval news is available 24/7 every day of the year by following @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley on X (Twitter). And, don’t forget to share your thoughts on the Travis Hunter skepticism of former NFL players by visiting our Facebook page, here.