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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter has a busy first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers
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- Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter has a busy first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter didn't make any huge plays in the preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 9 at EverBank Stadium.
But he did make his point: he can and apparently will play on both sides of the football this season.
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"I did pretty good," he said after playing a combined 18 snaps. "We just have to go back to work, continue to make progress."
Hunter played 10 snaps on offense and eight on defense during the Jaguars' 31-25 loss to the Steelers , fulfilling the promise coach Liam Coen made earlier in the week that the team was going to use the NFL's second overall draft pick at wide receiver and cornerback.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) runs upfield during the first half of the first preseason game where the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday Aug. 9, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Hunter got all of his work done in the first half. His offensive snaps came on the Jags' first possession, an 11-play drive that ended in a Cam Little 41-yard field goal (29 yards shorter than the 70-yarder he made to end the first half). Hunter caught two passes for 9 yards from Trevor Lawrence and had a 7-yard gain on a bubble screen, which was nullified by a block in the back penalty on guard Ezra Cleveland .
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Hunter lined up on the left side for five plays and on the right side for five plays on the drive. He was in the slot four times on the left and once on the right.
Travis Hunter gets two possessions on defense
Hunter made his first defensive appearance on Pittsburgh's second possession, playing left corner in place of Tyson Campbell, with a mix of first-team and second-team players.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) warms up before an NFL preseason matchup at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Hunter missed a diving tackle attempt on Kaleb Johnson , with Johnson gaining 7 yards for a first down, but Hunter had a receiver on the next play covered, forcing quarterback Mason Rudolph to look to the other side of the field. Dauwane Smoot then sacked Rudolph for a 10-yard loss.
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Hunter then played on the Jags' next defensive possession, remaining at left corner. The Steelers had a three-and-out, with Antonio Johnson making a big play for a 3-yard loss on second-and-one. Hunter covered his receivers well and had no stats.
Hunter said the work on both sides of the ball shouldn't set him apart from his teammates.
"It's not tough," he said. "My other teammates go to work and earn their spots and do their thing."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter catches two passes on offense, plays two possessions on defense
