Mike Vrabel is no stranger to the challenge of playing on both sides of the ball. During his NFL career, he was best known as an All-Pro edge rusher, but he also made a significant impact on offense as a tight end for the New England Patriots. His versatility helped him become one of the most unique and valuable players in Patriots history, finishing his career with 57 sacks and 10 touchdowns.
Now as a head coach, Vrabel understands the demands of being a true two-way player, which makes his perspective on Travis Hunter especially valuable.
Hunter, one of the most talked-about prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, is hoping to continue playing both receiver and cornerback in the pros, just as he did in college. In fact, Hunter took the college football world by storm, winning the Heisman Trophy thanks to his dominant play on both sides of the ball. He also captured the Biletnikoff Award for his production as a wide receiver, racking up 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns.
On defense, he secured the Bednarik Award after totaling four interceptions and 11 pass breakups. His remarkable versatility has split opinions among scouts, with some viewing him as a future lockdown cornerback and others believing he could be a top-tier wide receiver.
At the NFL Annual Meetings, Vrabel discussed Hunter's unique situation, saying that while it would be difficult for anyone to play both ways at the NFL level, he wouldn't place limitations on a player like Hunter. Vrabel emphasized that improvement often comes from focusing on one position at first but remained open to the idea of using a player wherever they can help the team most.
"I don't know how anybody could say how hard it would be. We've never seen a player necessarily do it," Vrabel said via MassLive. "I think there's some things he can improve on by probably concentrating on just one position. But never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player. We try as much as they can handle. We're going to continue to put more on their plate.
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"If he were on our football team and showed great skill at one position, and started to really do well in his conditioning, and it didn't fall and didn't drop (off), we would be open to playing everybody we had at more than one position. Anything that would help the football team, I'd be all in favor of."
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For the Patriots, Hunter could be a game-changer on either side of the ball. With the team still needing help at receiver alongside Stefon Diggs, Hunter could offer instant production. Vrabel's comments suggest the Patriots would likely start Hunter at one position, allowing him to master the details, before potentially unleashing his full versatility down the line.
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 10:40 AM.