Travis Hunter Starts Off Career On Wrong Foot as Liam Coen & Jaguars Decide Future, Says 2X Super Bowl Champ

Where does a guy play who won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the NCAA’s best WR as well as the Chuck Bednarik Award for the NCAA’s best defensive player? It has been a popular subject of discussions since that guy, aka Travis Hunter, expressed his desire to continue his two-way legacy in the NFL. As the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him, it became a question for head coach Liam Coen. After months of speculation, he finally reached a decision (though not officially), and it’s not what many expected.

While the team has listed him on both sides of the ball, he’ll be starting on offense. Yes, Adam Schefter of ESPN shared the Jaguars’ unofficial depth chart in a recent tweet, revealing that the reigning Heisman Trophy winner has been listed as starting wide receiver but backup cornerback. He will be opposite Dyami Brown and the Jaguars’ star of 2024, Brian Thomas Jr. As for the other side, he is set to go behind Tyson Campbell and Jourdan Lewis. Some might agree with this strategy, some might oppose. A two-time Super Bowl champion happens to be latter group of people, screaming Hunter might be starting off his career on the wrong foot. 

“We believe that Travis Hunter is going to start on offense and then play some defense,” said the star defensive back Logan Ryan. “I wish it was the other way.” Comparing cornerbacks with starting pitchers, he gave an interesting argument from a cornerback’s perspective. “We’re like starting pitchers. We are not relievers. You cannot bring us mid in the inning, that’s different. Most corners start the game. They play the game. It takes rhythm, it takes time to get your feet ready, to run cause you gotta be react to somebody. So do they play Travis Hunter on every first offensive snap and then they bring him in on defense two minutes, [or] do they bring him in on third-down? It’s gonna be something we never saw better.”

The Jaguars have already experimented with this in the preseason, when they made the rookie debut on offense. It was decent as he made two catches for nine yards, playing 10 of the 11 snaps. On the defensive part, he missed a tackle. Something his Coach Coen noticed above everything else. “He missed the one tackle defensively that I noticed, like that was the only thing that I kind of noticed,” he said. Coen believes Hunter made all the right choices playing wideout. But he was skeptical about his defensive role. He even said he’ll have to rewatch the recordings to evaluate Hunter’s defensive skills. Perhaps that’s why he put the rookie as starting WR. 

But there’s still a chance for a change. After all, Hunter’s former head coach and the legendary Deion Sanders made his debut on defense in 1992. Returning an opening punt for a 68-yard touchdown as a rookie etched his name in the pages of history, marking the beginning of his two-way legacy. Though Hunter hasn’t shared his preference, it is most likely to be defense like his Coach Prime. 

Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter’s bond grows beyond football

As Hunter stood on the verge of a new chapter in his professional life, his personal life also began anew with the birth of his first child. While his NFL career does require his utmost attention at the moment, Sanders seized the moment to give his (almost adoptive) son much-needed advice. “No matter what happens in life, let’s make sure we are the best darn father that ever walked,” he advised Hunter. 

Coaching Hunter for two seasons and seeing him evolve into the two-way sensation he is today, Sanders built a special relationship with him. When Hunter’s father couldn’t attend his son’s Heisman Trophy ceremony, Coach Prime was there, clapping the loudest as the young receiver received the honor. 

Knowing how much his son wants to continue playing on both sides of the ball, Sanders joined the conversation with solid points. “It’s not like it hasn’t been done, but he’s done it at a whole other level in college,” he said earlier in April. “If they allow him to do it, which they should, he’s going to be phenomenal.” He knows the prowess Hunter possesses and believes he can start both ways once given the opportunity. And it sure won’t be the first time the NFL has seen something like this.