Jags’ Travis Hunter moving to defense after wowing on offense at rookie camp

After spending two days working solely at receiver during Jacksonville’s rookie minicamp, two-way star Travis Hunter will move to the other side of the ball next week.

Coach Liam Coen said Saturday that Hunter will start getting repetitions on defense when the team reconvenes for offseason conditioning. It should set the stage for Hunter’s expansive role during organized team activities.

“He’ll be able to get integrated next week on the defensive side of the ball,” Coen said. “He’ll start to roll on defense.”

He’s already rolling on offense. Hunter caught nearly every ball thrown his way over two days alongside fellow rookies. And the few routes or results that didn’t go his way? Well, Hunter went right back to the front of the line for a redo.

“The organization expects a lot out of me,” Hunter said. “They expect me to come out here and play right away. I’m going to do whatever it takes for me to play right away.”

The Jaguars traded up three spots, giving up a second-round pick, a first-rounder next year and more to make it happen, to select Hunter with the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft last month. He gives the franchise more star power than its had in decades — maybe ever.

Fans packed a small pro shop outside the practice field and waited in deep lines to buy his No. 12 jersey. The Heisman Trophy winner has his own YouTube channel, lights up rooms with his smile and elevates the play of everyone around him. He did it in high school in Georgia and did it again in college at Jackson State and at Colorado.

The Jaguars anticipate the trend continuing despite Hunter’s 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. He caught Coen’s eye during practice Friday when Hunter’s cleat slipped off during a route, and he didn’t slow down or get sidetracked one bit.

“Made a great catch,” Coen said. “It’s more just his presence and the energy he does provide both in the classroom, in the meeting rooms and also out here on the field.”

Hunter became the first person in his immediate family to walk in a graduation ceremony when he took the stage at Colorado on Thursday while wearing Jaguars pajama pants.

“That’s the first thing I ordered off of Amazon when I got drafted,” Hunter said.

He donned his Jaguars jersey for the first time the following day. This one was teal. At some point soon, he’s expected to be swapping between teal and white during the same practice. Or, as Hunter suggested, maybe get his own color. No one would be surprised considering he’s that unique.

Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns last season at Colorado and notched 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups, eight forced incompletions and four interceptions while allowing just one touchdown.

The Jaguars intend to use him in a similar role this fall, planning to have him working as a slot receiver on offense and as a cornerback in certain packages on defense. It’s familiar territory for someone who played more snaps (1,461) than anyone else in college football in 2024.

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Hunter already has taken a leadership role among the rookies and hopes to do the same with the rest of his teammates. It could help that he has two former Colorado guys around him, defensive lineman B.J. Green II and safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig.

Silmon-Craig and Hunter first played together at Jackson State in 2022 and have been teammates since.

“It feels like a family here,” Silmon-Craig said. “It’s a new everything around here. We’re just trying to change the culture here and build a culture. Why not get a couple Colorado guys?”

Especially the Colorado guy.

“He’s a waymaker, a game-changer, a phenomenal person,” Silmon-Craig said. “If he comes out here and doesn’t dance one practice, I’m going to go ask him, ’You good? What’s wrong?’

“That’s what he does. He dances and flies around and has fun. That’s why I love him.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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