Trevor Lawrence Assess Jaguars' Rookie Breakout Performance

Everything might seem bad for the Jacksonville Jaguars at this time, following their 35-7 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London. But there are genuine things to be excited about moving ahead, including the emergence of rookie sensation Travis Hunter for his breakout performance.

Scoring the lone touchdown in the loss, the Jaguars rookie wide receiver and cornerback may have found his niche for the rest of the season, putting a tough decision on the shoulders of head coach Liam Coen. However, his quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, sounded optimistic about the things to come with the rookie standout as his top target on Sunday in the United Kingdom.

Lawrence's assessment of Hunter

Coen Lawrenc — Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen talks with quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Hunter's performance against Los Angeles was noteworthy, to say the least. He is the only rookie with at least eight catches and 100 receiving yards in a game this season; the first player since Julio Jones to hit the century receiving mark, a touchdown, and a defended pass; and just the third rookie in franchise history with at least eight catches in a single game, joining Brian Thomas Jr. last season and tight end Pete Mitchell in the inagural Jaguars season in 1995.

Lawrence explained on Sunday that Hunter accomplished "great things," showcasing how special a player he is while acknowledging the chemistry between the two players is growing, as Hunter was easily Jacksonville's top playmaker on either side of the ball against the Rams.

Hunter Jag — Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) reacts after a play against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I felt like I was able to find him a little bit more today than in the past," Lawrence said. "Even still, there, I think there's so much that we can learn from and grow from in our chemistry, and seeing the game the same. I think it's getting there. I think that's why you see in the second half some improvements and us connecting more, but there's still a lot of meat on the bone for us to take advantage of, honestly."

Lawrence said he was excited for the opportunity to see Hunter make plays when targeted. As the chemistry grows, so does the success in the passing game.

"It's good to know for me as a quarterback to keep in the back of my mind that he just makes plays whenever the ball comes to him," Lawrence said. "But a lot of things that we still can clean up, but I thought he did some great things today."

Lawrence Jag — Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) passes the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lawrence was asked if Hunter was the primary read on the touchdown throw, saying he wasn't and broke down what happened on the play:

"He's kind of an alert there if you get a matchup, you get a look. They were playing a cover-three version, and I could have thrown the quick out to Parker [Washington], but the corner tied down and I felt like we had a matchup there with the safety, and Travis did a good job fighting through -- they were holding him. That's why we got the flag. But fought through the contact, still made the play on the ball. Yeah, did some good stuff for sure."

THE FIRST OF MANY

First career touchdown for Travis Hunter 😤
pic.twitter.com/gS6G1phEgQ
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) October 19, 2025

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