The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the middle of embarking on one of the most daunting player challenges in recent NFL history, as they will try to simultaneously turn No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter into a Pro Bowl player at both wide receiver and cornerback.
Hunter's plan will require some very deft planning. Not only do the Jaguars need to find a way for him to withstand the physical toll that a professional game will put on his body, but they must also find a way to make sure he learns the complexities of an NFL offensive and defensive playbook all at once.
The Jaguars have been using Hunter primarily as a wide receiver in the early stages of OTAs, though they will eventually ween him on to life as a cornerback. This plan is risky, but one NFL insider believes the Jaguars are doing the right thing in handling Hunter this way.
"I think the Jaguars’ plan for sequencing Travis Hunter’s learning makes sense," NFL insider Albert Breer said. "Any rookie is drinking through a fire hose. Starting him on offense last week and then giving him the baseline on defense this week, rather than doing it all at once, is logical."
Jaguars handling of Travis Hunter praised by NFL insider
It remains unclear which position Hunter will focus on primarily in the pros. While he did win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top wide receiver last year, many evaluated Hunter with the expectation that he would primarily play cornerback and moonlight on the offensive side of the ball.
Those who doubt Hunter's quest to play two ways aren't necessarily taking shots at him, but rather are deeming his quest as near impossible. If Hunter gets hurt, he might not be able to play on both sides with some degree of aplomb.
Hunter will still try to do something that hasn't been done regularly in almsot 70 years. If anyone has the combination of athletic skills needed to make this move a reality, it's him.