“It’s like never playing football again.” That was indeed a demand that front offices do not deal with on a daily basis. Travis Hunter, the 22-year-old Colorado standout rookie, kicked the door down of the Jaguars as the 2nd overall pick with a demand in the 2025 season draft. Two positions. Offense and defense. HC Liam Coen took on the challenge, letting him play dual positions this training camp. The plan? Shape the league’s first true two-way force since Chuck Bednarik in 1962. And now every analyst, every rival team, is guessing where the rookie phenom would shine brightest.

“I know everyone wants to see Travis Hunter play both ways full-time, but I’m telling you now – he may end up making a bigger impact as a CB in Year 1,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein noted. The Duvalians do not need to play the guessing game for long, as a clear answer is slowly emerging. Travis Hunter’s training camp rotation continues to fuel the rumour mill’s ignition. Reports are finally out, and according to a Sports Illustrated article, after two straight days locking it down on defense, the rookie jumped back to offense on Monday. The constant change is definitely keeping Hunter on his toes. He didn’t replicate Sunday’s breakout, but still produced.

Hunter hauled in a pair of tough, chain-moving grabs during third-down team drills. In one-on-ones, he burned through coverage and snagged a clean catch downfield against Jourdan Lewis. Hunter knew exactly what he signed up for. He built this challenge customised to his preference. “I need to be able to process everything fast, quick,” he said. “When I’m on the defensive side, if the offense changes their strength, I’ve got to know what I’m doing right away. And if the offense changes the play, I got to know what I’m doing right away.” The coaching staff has been easing him in, one side of the ball at a time, trying to figure out where Hunter stands in the 53-man roster.

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And now, all signs point toward a future in the secondary. Turns out the analysts were not far off on this one; the verdict might be in favor of the CB position. Reports out of the training camp suggest that on defense, Hunter’s instincts and ball skills looked natural. During Sunday’s practice, he tallied multiple breakups in a span that resembled his Colorado prime. General Manager James Gladstone had already hinted at this vision. He explained earlier that Hunter saw more reps at receiver in OTAs, but cornerback felt like home.

The final call hasn’t been made. Yet. ESPN reports that Hunter will work again as a corner this week. On Friday, in a full scrimmage setting, he’s expected to take on both roles in the same session for the first time. With the tape rolling and competition heating up, the Jaguars will soon have to draw the line. But there is one factor they must not forget.

Travis Hunter’s high-risk gamble!

Travis Hunter showed at Colorado that he has the raw tools to play both ways. Yet, the biggest challenge is not physical. It’s mental, playing under new coach Liam Coen’s offense. When asked what’s toughest about his unique role, Hunter was clear. “The challenges is just the playbook. The playbook is the hardest thing. Once you understand the playbook, you just go out there and play fast football, ain’t going to change from being football,” he said. Mastering both offensive and defensive schemes in the league requires elite football IQ.

But that is not all, playing both ways invites injury risk. Veteran Josh Hines-Allen laid out the risk factor often overlooked when both the front office and players are chasing glory. “If he can allow himself to stay healthy and take care of that, get in the hyperbaric machine, I think he has a great career ahead of him on both sides of the ball.” Even James Gladstone is willing to roll a very dangerous dice this season. “There are players who can alter a game. Very few can alter the trajectory of the sport itself.”

That belief in Hunter’s ceiling is sky high. But so are the practical concerns. Albert Breer, a respected NFL insider, posed the question on everyone’s mind. “How… do you deploy him in practice, in meetings, in a way where he’ll be ready to play well over 100 snaps at two positions with entirely different demands, challenges, and game plans.” This two-way experiment tests the locker room, coaching staff, and entire prep structure.

The Jaguars are chasing redemption after last year’s collapse. If they want to make the playoffs this season, Hunter has to hold up justifying his $46.65 million dual-role rookie contract.