The Jacksonville Jaguars gave up a ton of draft equity to trade up from No. 5 to No. 2 in the 2025 NFL Draft to pick up Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. While he hasn't had a lot of touches on offense, he's flashed every time he has the ball in his hands. His athleticism continues to impress.
There's no question the rookie has a love for the game—despite what Troy Aikman seemed to insinuate. Sure, he played a little Clash of Clans on draft day, but that really just makes him the perfect Florida man. With his fishing addiction, he belongs in Jacksonville. And Hunter's passion is the driving force behind his desire to play offense and defense. He even claimed he'd quit football if he couldn't play both ways.
"It's never playing football again [if I can't play both]," Hunter told CBS Sports. "Because I've been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it."
Related: Jaguars voice just dropped tough (but fair) review of Trevor Lawrence
Jaguars aren't getting Travis Hunter enough touches
Coming into this game, Hunter's 21 targets were third on the team behind tight end Brentan Strange (23) and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (32). But he needs more. Every time he touches the football, magic happens—and the Jaguars are in desperate need of some magic, especially when they play teams like the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hunter is averaging 9.1 yards per reception, and he's led to three first downs—two of which were 20+ yard receptions. He consistently shows his playmaking ability when he's left open and space, and the Jaguars need to make a more concerted effort to get the ball in his hands. And I'm not alone in thinking so. The internet is having a field day critiquing Jacksonville's use of No. 12,with one user saying he"didn't understand why the Jaguars don't use him more."
On Travis Hunter’s one (1) target of the first half, he caught the ball in the flat and juked two defenders before picking up 12 yards.
I don’t understand why the Jaguars don’t use him more. Perplexing pic.twitter.com/FqVulA7xqV
— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux) October 7, 2025
Travis Hunter. Electric.
KCvsJAX on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/hcjTGl0KZF
— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2025
Final thoughts
The Jacksonville Jaguars are still looking to prove themselves as a real contender, not just in the AFC South, but in the NFL. The defense is playing well, and the running game is electric. Peppering a little more Travis Hunter into the passing game might be the secret to unlocking the final piece that can help the Jags take that next step.