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Travis Hunter to take defensive snaps at OTAs, talks Jaguars minicamp experience at WR
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- Travis Hunter to take defensive snaps at OTAs, talks Jaguars minicamp experience at WR
It didn't take long to know that Jacksonville Jaguars rookie WR/CB Travis Hunter was in town.
After a brief warm-up period, Hunter went to the closest field to the Miller Electric Center to receiver drills, and the crowd alerted everyone who didn't already know that their prized draft pick had arrived.
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Don't worry, Hunter will spend time on the defensive side of the ball when Organized Team Activities begin on May 19. More on that later.
DAY 2: Why Liam Coen is taking Jacksonville Jaguars rookies to 'ground zero' in minicamp
But from that point forward, Hunter's movements were followed intently by nearly everyone in attendance. Other rookies may as well not have been on the field, at least that was how the atmosphere felt on Saturday, the team's second day of rookie minicamp.
Hunter had a gravitational pull on everyone in attendance, including some of his teammates who riffed off his extroverted personality filled with dancing and laughter.
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"I mean, shoot, Travis [Hunter] got drafted here and then I found out I was coming here. I was like, 'Oh yeah, we better be turning up,'" Jaguars undrafted free agent, former Duke receiver Eli Pancol told the Times-Union shortly after practice.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) and wide receiver Eli Pancol (10) look on during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Hunter, who just graduated from college on May 8, graduated a second time Friday when he joined the team for minicamp.
"It definitely feels real. Coming out here for this scenery, it's pretty. It's hot, it's what I remember being a little kid out here playing. I love it," Hunter said after coming off the practice field Saturday.
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Though he spent his high school career in Georgia and collegiate years in Mississippi and Colorado, Hunter is originally from West Palm Beach, and returning to the Sunshine State was a welcomed move for the avid fisherman and football player.
Travis Hunter starts, stops and soaks in knowledge through first two days of minicamp
Hunter spent his entire practice session working on the offensive side of the ball, something he said takes more time to get down than defense.
"Just longer calls and concepts are different," Hunter said when asked about the challenge of learning two playbooks at this level, noting that defense is "pretty easy," by comparison.
The level of challenge tracks with what head coach Liam Coen suggested after Hunter was drafted with the second overall pick in April. The Jaguars want the two-way star out of Colorado to get used to the intricacies and nuances that come with an NFL offense.
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Hunter was meticulous in his movements on Saturday. If he dropped a ball, which happened once throughout the 1 hour, 15 minute practice session, he would immediately return to the start of the line to run the play again.
When Hunter looked as though he may not have been satisfied with his footwork, he repeated the motion until he was. Even still, he probably wasn't satisfied. That comes from his understanding of how important he is to the franchise, what's at stake if he doesn't meet expectations.
"The organization expects a lot out of me. They expect me to come out here and play right away. I'm going to do whatever it takes for me to play right away," said Hunter.
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So far, so good from Coen's perspective, later conceding that it's hard to tell just two days into rookie minicamp if Hunter is "as-advertised."
Hunter not only took it upon himself to redo reps he felt weren't up to par, but he, for the second day in a row, worked extra during the special teams period with wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett.
Hunter said he and Bennett hit it off as soon as he landed in Jacksonville.
"When I came here, we hit it off right away. He's been in Green Bay. He taught Davante Adams. Seeing him coach a player like that, I know I can learn a lot from him," Hunter said
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Coen has been impressed with the rookies already, especially in his preparation and work ethic. That's something the Jaguars said early on that showed Hunter possesses "Jaguars DNA."
"Building camaraderie between the two of those guys [Hunter and Wide Receivers Coach Edgar Bennett] is going to be really important. The amount of time that they've obviously been able to spend during this time has been really beneficial. At the end of the day, it's about relationships," Coen said when asked about Hunter working extra with Bennett.
"So, for him to be able to get relationships with all the coaches. But specifically, the extra time. And he's the type of guy that puts it in on his own when he is away from the building. The more he can do and continue to do that will only benefit us moving forward."
Travis Hunter to play defense next time he takes the field
Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Travis Hunter (12) during the second quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Hunter's work doesn't stop at wide receiver. He will also be used as a cornerback in Jacksonville. They aren't shying away from any of that.
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"Next week. Yeah, next week. He'll be able to get integrated next week on the defensive side of the ball," Coen said.
"We just kind of ended up making a decision that, from yesterday to today, we wanted to be able to clean up some of the things that we may have been able to miss yesterday, get extra reps on the offensive side of the ball, and next week, he'll start to roll on defense."
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) catches a pass during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
At Colorado, Hunter totalled 66 tackles, three tackles for loss, seven interceptions and 16 pass breakups. He won the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player.
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His skillset translates on either side of the ball, making him one of the most unique players in the league already.
Hunter says he's already integrated into the defense.
"These past two days, I just came out here and did offense," he said.
For now, Hunter is just happy to be out on the field.
"It's been a blessing to come out here with the guys, with the rookies. Come out here and work every day and try and get better," Hunter said.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter details Jaguars minicamp, will play defense at OTAs
