Travis
Hunter

The Jaguars needed help on both ends of the field. Hunter, a two-way playmaker, tackle while Cleveland to acquire the cornerback-receiver hybrid.

Catching everyone's eye at training camp, Hunter dominated on both sides of the ball. "When he's not on offense, I'm like dang I want him on offense," Jags EVP Tony Boselli said. "He makes us better. But then you watch him on defense, and you're like, wait a second, we're better with him on defense as well."

Grant Udinski has enjoyed working with Hunter. "He's a lot of fun to be around, not only because he brings that energy but because he is a football guy in the sense that he loves football, wants to be great, willing to work, wants to talk about things, wants to go over things," the Jaguars QB said on NFL Spotlight.

The Jaguars invested in their future when they traded up to draft Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick in 2025. After adding the two-way star, they couldn't wait to see him set foot on the gridiron at EverBank Stadium. Immediately boosting the stock of the defense, he provided excellent lockdown coverage.

One of the most intriguing storylines heading into Hunter's rookie year was how often the two-way star would play cornerback. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy with Colorado in 2024, the Jaguars draftee also won the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation's finest defensive player.

No receivers are going to haul in a pass on Hunter's watch. Not even his teammates, a lesson they learned during the Jaguars' training camp. Battling against his peers, the 2025 rookie made his presence felt with skintight coverage that prevented throws from finding their targets.

Hunter has the talent to be a dominant receiver or a shutdown cornerback. If Trevor Lawrence gets his way, it'll be more of the former. "He's so talented, it's hard to keep him off the field," Lawrence said. "He'll make plays wherever he is, but obviously as a quarterback I hope he plays more on offense."

If he had to pick a nickname for himself — and he was asked to — Hunter could do it. "It's the Unicorn," he said in a training camp interview as a rookie. "Yes sir, it's the Unicorn." Of course! Why didn't anyone think of that before for the wide receiver/cornerback selected with the No. 2 overall pick?

Travis was such a two-way standout at the U. of Colorado, where he won the nation's top individual award in 2024, that Jacksonville traded up to draft him with the second overall pick in 2025. Hunter's world-class athleticism and ability to start and stop on a dime stand out. He smothers wideouts on defense and eludes tacklers with the ball in his hands.

The only cornerback capable of slowing down Hunter is Hunter himself. Unfortunately for the rest of the NFL, that means they'll need another solution when facing Jacksonville in 2025. Otherwise the two-way phenom will spend all four quarters decimating their secondary with highlight-reel grabs.

Travis played on both sides of the ball in 2025 but had his breakout at receiver during Jacksonville's trip to London on October 19. Hunter caught eight passes for 101 yards against the Rams, scoring his first touchdown on a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter.

An NFL unicorn, Travis is a rare two-way talent defined by elite versatility and instincts. A fluid athlete with exceptional ball skills, burst, and body control, he showcases effortless transitions, precise tracking and relentless competitiveness.

Showing how much they valued Hunter, the Jaguars traded up from the No. 5 overall pick to second to select him in the 2025 draft. The move impressed the sacrificed a lot to get me there means they believe in me. We got team Colorado NCAA totals 23 11 3 59 49 6

Up there with quarterback and linebacker, cornerback and receiver are two of the most valuable positions in football. Boasting one-of-a-kind versatility, Hunter could probably shine at all four of those spots. Instead, he focuses on the latter two, excelling at both and making his team tough to beat.

Add tone-setter to the list of responsibilities Hunter has chosen to take on as he embarks on his pro journey. He's determined to impact the Jags in as many ways as he can. "I bring the juice every day," the No. 2 pick said. "Always got a smile on my face. Making everyone laugh when I get the chance."

Hunter's attention to detail stood out as he became acclimated in Jacksonville. "When he might've gotten a drill wrong or something, he was just hopping back in line and going back at it and trying to find ways to do it right and find ways to be the best that he can be," fellow wideout Brian Thomas said.

If he had to pick a nickname for himself—and he was asked to—Hunter could do it. "It's the Unicorn," he said in a training camp interview as a rookie. "Yes sir, it's the Unicorn." Of course! Why didn't anyone think of that before for the wide receiver/cornerback selected with the No. 2 overall pick?

A true unicorn, Travis can erase the opponent's top receiver, then line up at wide and beat his contagious, making him an elite gamebreaker for the Jaguars. On October 19, 2025, Hunter last look-down comeback. His stamina is legendary, his ball skills uncanny and his confidence.