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Could Travis Hunter be Week 1 starter on Jacksonville Jaguars' defense?
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- Could Travis Hunter be Week 1 starter on Jacksonville Jaguars' defense?
Is there a chance Travis Hunter is the Week 1 starter at cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars ?
Hunter spent a full day on defense during the 14th day of training camp , not having a single offensive rep for the first practice since before the stadium scrimmage.
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With an undisclosed injury to cornerback Tyson Campbell keeping him away from practice for the second consecutive day, Hunter split time with several defensive backs alongside Jacksonville's starters.
BETTER COMMUNICATION: Here's why Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile remains optimistic about defense
It's not the first time he's played alongside the main defense, but with Campbell listed as day-to-day, Hunter could use this time to show his growth since being drafted No. 2 overall by the team.
"I think he's been really serious about doing this and playing at a high level on defense the entire time," defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said when asked if Hunter has seemed more aware of the opportunity before him. "He was kind of steady Eddie as far as that goes the whole way. He's been locked in the whole time, and I wouldn't necessarily say I see an uptick, but he's been pretty disciplined and detailed with it the whole way through."
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Campanile has been very complimentary of Hunter's dedication to playing on both sides of the ball. The rookie has a schedule that allows him time with defensive coaches when he's playing on offense and vice versa. He spends time off the field meeting with coaches and teammates to stay current with both sides.
And he had the chance to play on both sides of the ball during the first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend.
"He's done a great job with splitting time on offense and defense. So, it's a tough task, but he's handled it really, really well," Campanile said. "Like anything else, there are things to correct, but some things he did really good the other day."
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Head coach Liam Coen told reporters Campbell's injury wouldn't alter Hunter's timeline. He said he'll see time on both sides of the ball throughout this week of practice and during the team's scrimmage ahead of the game against the New Orleans Saints .
As the team tries to sort out their defensive back situation without their top two corners, Hunter is rolling along as scheduled.
"[Liam] really presented it in an easy way for all of us to understand, and he's managed Travis's time really, really well out here every day," Campanile said of Hunter's schedule. "He really was kind of the guy that drove the process on that, and I think he did a really good job with it."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter 'steady Eddie' on defense. Will he start there Week 1?
