Ever since Travis Hunter burst onto the NFL radar, he’s made one thing crystal clear. That he wants to play on both offense and defense. The Colorado two-way star didn’t just say it once and move on. He doubled down every time a mic was in front of him. Hunter even went as far as asking Commissioner Roger Goodell to announce him as both a WR and a DB on draft night. That request had everyone in the league talking.

Eventually, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars who took the swing, betting on the dual-threat talent. When Hunter sat down with GM James Gladstone, there was no hesitation. The front office believed in him. Believed that Travis could pull off the rare double-duty role in the big leagues. But now, as the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner participated in Jaguars’ OTAs, things are not looking quite as smooth. A few reports from practice have netizens side-eyeing one specific part of his game. And the reactions are already starting to roll in.

An account on X, NFL Notification, shared a clip of the Colorado alum from the Jaguars’ OTAs with the caption, “Travis Hunter has reportedly had ‘several’ instances of taking too many steps at the end of the route, which has thrown off timing. Is this a cause for concern?” And just like that, the post blew up. It was enough to spark a heated debate among netizens about the Jaguars’ rookie and his much-hyped dual role.

Now looking at Hunter’s 2024 stats, the 22-year-old, as a WR, recorded 96 receptions, racking up 1,258 yards and scoring 15 TDs. Travis averaged 13.1 yards per catch. His performance with the Colorado Buffaloes placed him among the top receivers in college football. When it came to his defensive skills, Travis was equally impressive. He recorded a total of 35 tackles (24 solo). It was Hunter’s dual-role excellence that got him the Heisman honor.

But now, as the WR/DB standout gears up to bring his two-way game to the NFL, it’s starting to look like the Jaguars might have to pick a lane for him.

Travis Hunter’s dual dream faces pushback after OTA footage

The entire NFL world weighed in when Travis Hunter’s two-way role sparked a fresh wave of debate. But if there’s one person who’s made his stance loud and clear, it’s Hunter himself. In a chat with CBS Sports, the Colorado star mentioned that he’s not giving up either side. “It’s never playing football again,” Hunter said, when asked what he’d do if a team forced him to pick between offense and defense. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the [foot]ball, so I really enjoy doing it,” he added.

But after that OTA clip surfaced, not everyone’s sold on Hunter’s two-way game anymore. “That isn’t a clean route, but we all know people mess up. One video means nothing. But his routes in college weren’t great either,” a user commented on X. Another user chimed in, writing, “At this time, I don’t think so. There are many things wrong with his route running that will be corrected by his Receiver coach. His position coach at CU didn’t do much with him, it seems. He is relying more on athletcism-must add skill-technique to be good.”

Another took a dig at Hunter’s skills writing, “Expected, he never was a full-time wideout, not as polished as he should be. Ain’t nothing but a little bit of development.” And as always, there was no shortage of advice. One user summed it up, “There’s a reason they said corner is his more natural position. Hopefully he’ll improve with camp.“

Former players and analysts around the league haven’t stayed quiet either. Back in April, Patriots’ legend Devin McCourty shared his two cents during an interview with Kay Adams. When asked about Hunter’s dual-role ambition, McCourty advised the 22-year-old to play on offense. “You don’t want to go out there and do well, but keep getting injured or your body doesn’t make it through a year, because then that affects how much you get paid,” he said, pointing to the physical toll that comes with playing both sides of the ball.

So, will the Jaguars let Travis play both sides, or will they focus on developing him at just one position? It’ll be interesting to watch how Hunter’s dual role saga unfolds.