The Jaguars Prized Rookie Needs to Rebound in 2026
After all the anticipation for the two-way phenom out of Colorado, it is safe to say that the 2025 season did not go to plan for Travis Hunter. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Hunter with the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Hunter had a slow start to the season. After the first seven games, he had 28 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown. On defense, Hunter had 15 tackles and three pass deflections. However, Hunter would suffer a knee injury in practice, placing him on the injured reserve and ending his season after he underwent surgery to repair a torn LCL. This made Jacksonville lose a key weapon for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which, in turn, the team went out and traded with the Las Vegas Raiders for veteran Jakobi Meyers. The Meyers trade would help the Jaguars, as his presence allowed the team to go 8-1 since acquiring him and sending them to the postseason, while Hunter had to watch from the sidelines.
Hunter was unable to create an impact for either side of the ball for the Jaguars this season. Without him, the Jaguars have been unstoppable and have turned into one of the best teams in all of football. The Jaguars also traded a ton of draft capital to select Hunter, including a few future first-round selections. There is an expectation that Hunter will have to contribute next season, or else his selection in the draft could be seen as a regrettable mistake. The big question for fans and staff alike is whether Hunter is able to play both sides of the ball in the NFL, as his rookie season did not show much promise in his capability of performing to a high level on both sides.
If anything, Hunter will have to select one side of the ball to play on next season. Head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone would like Hunter to succeed similarly to what Colorado coach Deion Sanders had Hunter playing in college. However, it might be unrealistic with the fast pace and hard-hitting of NFL football. In his rookie campaign, Hunter had better plays on the offensive side of the ball, so expect Hunter to be mainly a wide receiver if he wants any success in the pros. Can he play defense? Sure, although until he proves he can do both efficiently, the doubts will continue to grow about Hunter’s ability to succeed as a two-way player.
