It is unique to see the Jacksonville Jaguars in the spotlight, but it is a point they have been striving to be in the Trevor Lawrence era. This past season, they won 13 games, were the hottest team heading into the postseason, and provided an upward trajectory for the 2026 season.
A key part of that was first-round choice Travis Hunter, the sensational, Heisman Trophy-winning, two-way phenom who made his impact felt as a wide receiver and cornerback despite missing the final 10 games with a torn LCL. However, a major debate online is whether he is a full-time cornerback or a wide receiver in the NFL, and it was heavily discussed around the halfway point of the season before his injury.
Hunter Jags
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) yells as his is introduced before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
NFL Network national reporter Cameron Wolfe reported on Friday that Hunter would likely be starting at cornerback full-time for the Jaguars in 2026 with part-time work on offense. It is a move that has the online football community split, but the move itself is the right one for Hunter this upcoming season.
THE WOLFE OF BALL STREET: EARLY OFF-SEASON PREVIEW
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— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) February 14, 2026
Why Hunter being a full-time cornerback is the right move
Hunter Jags
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick, Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, center, throws up the Heisman pose to Tony Boselli, Executive Vice President of Football Operations, left, as Head Coach Liam Coen, right, laughs after a press conference Friday, March 25, 2025 at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. The team traded up from fifth to second after making a deal with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. The rookie was introduced with general | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Last season, before trading for Jakobi Meyers, it seemed as though the plan for Hunter was to begin playing full-time at both wideout and cornerback for Jacksonville. It is a plan I believed at the time to be the right one, providing the team and head coach Liam Coen with a rare weapon on both sides of the ball to utilize and change the trajectory for the rest of the season.
Then came the knee injury; Meyers was acquired, and the Jaguars won nine of their last 10 games without Hunter. Now comes the current situation we sit in: a wide receiver room with a lot of talent and a cornerback room that is expected to allow its key free agents to test the open market next month. With the shortage at one of the most valuable positions on the roster, Hunter is likely to be the top outside starter while being a part of the receiver rotation on offense.
Hunter Jags
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a catch against Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) during the second half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Boyers-Reuters via Imagn Images | Andrew Boyers-Reuters via Imagn Images
This is what it will be like every offseason, depending on the potential roster situation, with a discussion of which side of the ball Hunter will play at for the upcoming season, full-time or part-time. The decision to play Hunter at corner full-time is the right move, as I have maintained, because he possesses a higher ceiling on defense, his rare instincts in zone coverage, ball skills, and twitchy athleticism.
There appears to be outrage within the online fantasy football community over Hunter's move. From that perspective, that was always going to be the risk, no matter where he was drafted. He is too talented not to play him on defense, especially when or if the need is higher for either side of the ball.
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
There have been some interesting observations from the online football community on this matter, but the move itself is clear as day. However, just because Hunter will play full-time at cornerback with rotational snaps at wide receiver now doesn't mean he'll do it for the rest of his career. Again, this will be evaluated and decided each season for as long as this generational player can do it.
What fans will see on Sundays next season will be the same as they were last year, with Hunter: incredible catches or explosive plays on offense, and outstanding defense and instincts on defense. All anyone asks is that he stays healthy, which is key for all of this moving forward.
Travis Hunter vs. Davante Adams. Well-timed disruption at the catch point for the PBU pic.twitter.com/czGtPQM3Vt
— Jake Schyvinck 🎄❄️☃️ (@JakeNFLDraft) October 21, 2025
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