The Jacksonville Jaguars are doubling down on their bet that Travis Hunter can be a two-way star. Head coach Liam Coen made it official Wednesday: the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner will line up at both wide receiver and cornerback in the 2026 season.
“Just as we drafted him to do,” Coen said, shutting down any talk of Hunter focusing solely on defense.
Hunter, who played both sides of the ball in 2025, showed more promise on defense, where he emerged as a shutdown cornerback. On offense, he caught 28 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown — solid numbers, but not flashy. Some analysts argued he should stick to defense and only occasionally step in on offense, but the Jaguars’ front office clearly sees a different path.
It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy. At 180 pounds, Hunter is relatively light for an NFL player, and critics worry about the toll of playing every snap on both sides. One fan on social media warned, “They are going to get this guy killed. When he is playing CB they will go deep on him over and over again then he will get clobbered when playing WR.” Others simply wrote, “I don’t believe you,” and “It’s risky.”
But Hunter has never shied away from the challenge. He played both ways in college and has always wanted to continue that in the pros. The Jaguars drafted him with that vision, and now they’re sticking to it. For a team looking to build around a young star, the potential payoff — a versatile weapon who can change games on either side — is too tempting to pass up.
The decision also adds intrigue to Jacksonville’s offseason plans. With former Jaguars GM Trent Baalke now consulting for the Browns, the team’s front office is in flux, but the commitment to Hunter remains firm. Meanwhile, the NFL world watches to see if Hunter can handle the workload or if the experiment will fizzle.
Coen’s announcement comes amid broader league changes, including a vote that could phase out replacement officials, but for now, the focus is squarely on Hunter. The Jaguars believe they have a once-in-a-generation talent, and they’re determined to let him prove it — on both sides of the ball.
