It was a forgone conclusion that Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter would play both sides of the ball in the Jaguars preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers as Jags head coach Liam Cohen told reporters so on Thursday.
Cohen’s words ringed true when the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft lined up at receiver and cornerback against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hunter started the game as a wide receiver, which aligns with the Jaguars’ first unofficial depth chart released on Monday. He recorded one catch for three yards on Jacksonville’s opening possession.
He entered the game at corner with 12:12 remaining in the second quarter as he lined up over Steelers wideout Roman Wilson. He missed a tackle on Steelers third-round pick Kaleb Johnson the next play.
Preseason snaps don’t count, but Hunter joins the likes of cornerback Deion Sanders, his coach at Colorado, defensive tackle William Perry, defensive lineman JJ Watt and current Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard as some players who played both sides of the ball throughout their career.
Much was made about Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter’s ability to play offense and defense in the NFL during the draft process and into training camp.
Just four days ago, Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Davante Adams expressed doubt that Hunter could play WR and CB at a high level in the NFL during a guest appearance on The Pivot podcast.
“I don’t think it’s possible to do for real,” Adams said of Hunter playing both ways for his entire career. “Not at a high level, and then go in there. It’s hard enough to go cover a punt and then be on one side.”
Hunter started at cornerback and wide receiver for Colorado, logging 1,460 total snaps in his final season in Boulder.
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