Travis Hunter gets green signal from Jaguars HC Liam Coen for playing two-way role in NFL
Travis Hunter was one of the best two-way players in college, a prolific wide receiver and a relentless cornerback. He won the Fred Biletnikoff and Chuck Bednarik Awards at Colorado in addition to the Heisman Trophy. Now, he is getting his wish in the NFL.
During the Jacksonville Jaguars' minicamp on Thursday, the second pick of this year's NFL draft practiced on both sides of the ball. When asked if it was a harbinger of him doing the same in actual games, coach Liam Coen concurred (from 0:39 in the video below):
“That’s definitely what we have to build towards for training camp and then, obviously, in season. Knowing that, during practice he’s gonna have to do both. He wants to do it. It’s not as if it’s something where he can’t handle. He wants to go and do that more. He wants more and that’s a good thing.”
Last month, defensive end Arik Armstead had outlined the Jaguars' plans for Hunter when speaking to TMZ (from 01:58 in the video below):
"They want to start him off on offense and sprinkle him into defense. I think that's the plan... and we're excited to have him. It's going to be a bit of a transition for him, like it is for rookies in the NFL, but he's a dynamic player. I think he's going to add a different element to our team that's going to be very exciting."
Liam Coen explains why Jaguars traded up to No. 2 for Travis Hunter
The Jaguars' decision to draft Travis Hunter second did not come easily, as the franchise gave up three 2025 picks and a 2026 one to the Cleveland Browns for the privilege.
Explaining the rationale behind the transaction on Thursday's episode of Pat McAfee's eponymous show, Liam Coen shared a conversation with defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and general manager James Gladstone as the impetus:
"When you go through the evaluation process of Travis on both sides of the ball, you say, 'Yes, I would take him as a defensive back and I would take him as a receiver.' Ultimately, it came down to, 'We want to get a player and be the best player that he can be.' He feels he can do some phenomenal things on both sides of the ball, which we appreciate."
He continued:
"We want to give him that platform, while also knowing that when your best players are some of your hardest workers and are guys that truly love the game.... eat, breathe and sleep this thing."
The Jaguars begin their preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 9.