“It’s never playing football again.” Travis Hunter said last year, ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, that being limited to one position, either just wide receiver or cornerback, would be a dealbreaker. The Jacksonville Jaguars used him as a true two-way player in his rookie season. But now, entering year two, speculation has surfaced about him being used strictly at cornerback in 2026, something Hunter has recently pushed back against.

“Stop listening to the media,” he said. “I just said what I said and left it alone. Even like old players is coming and talking like, but you all don’t know my, you don’t know my situation just because you had some different situations while you were in the league. Ain’t got nothing to do with me. I hear when people talk on something they don’t know about.”

JaKi 🇺🇸

@JaKiTruth

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🔥 Travis Hunter. Kills Fake News. Calls Out Media & Former Players 💛 "Bro y'all don't know my situation. I hate when people start talking about something they don't know about. Even old players coming and talking"

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JaKi 🇺🇸

@JaKiTruth

🔥 Travis Hunter. Playing Both Ways. Never a Doubt 💛 "He isn't going to play any less at WR this year. His snaps at CB will spike. What made him a unicorn is going to make him dangerous this season"

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3:06 PM · May 1, 2026

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The idea that the Jaguars might lean more heavily on Hunter at cornerback has been around for months. Back in February, NFL Network reported that the two-way star would continue playing both sides in 2026. But with a shift in usage. The report stated:

“He will play both sides again in 2026. The big change may come in the usage. From what I understand, they plan to play him as a full-time cornerback, a part-time receiver, which is a switch from last year when he played more than double of his snaps at receiver then cornerback.”

The former No. 2 overall pick was putting together a strong rookie season before suffering a season-ending injury in practice ahead of Week 9. Across seven games, Hunter played 67% of the team’s offensive snaps and 36% on defense.

During that stretch, he recorded 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he added 15 tackles and three pass breakups before undergoing LCL surgery. He is now expected to be fully ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season. The only uncertainty remains how he will be used.

Following that February report, Ian Rapoport added to the conversation. A couple of weeks ago, he reiterated a similar expectation:

“(The Jacksonville Jaguars) expect him to be a full-time corner, part-time receiver, which when you talk to teams last year, that probably was where they thought the value was and really where they thought the production would lie.”

At the time, Hunter responded directly. Taking to X and resharing Rapoport’s post, he wrote:

“Now who told you this?”

Fast forward to now, and Hunter continues to push back on the idea that his role will shift heavily toward defense. At the same time, the speculation has not emerged without context. Even before those reports, Jaguars general manager James Gladstone hinted at a possible increase in defensive usage in January this year.

“Obviously at this point, walking into the offseason, corner is a position that we have a few guys who are on expiring contracts,” the GM said. “So by default, you can expect there to be a higher emphasis on his (Hunter’s) placement.”

That is where things currently stand. Reports and team context point toward a heavier defensive workload, while Hunter himself continues to reject that narrative and urges people not to rely on outside speculation, as he has clearly mentioned his desire to dominate on both sides of the ball.

Why the Jaguars could look to utilize Travis Hunter more as a CB

“My understanding is that he’s (Travis Hunter) not going to play any less at wide receiver this year. He’ll be a factor there in certain situations. But his snaps at the corner acquisition will undoubtedly spike now. They’re (Jaguars) focusing on corner, but they are figuring him at wide receiver, too.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed similar sentiments to Ian Rapoport, while adding more context to the discussion.

Now, when you consider that Travis Hunter handled a notable share of offensive snaps last season, increasing his workload at cornerback naturally raises questions. Which leads to the bigger one: if the Jaguars plan to lean on him more defensively, what’s driving that shift? The answer lies in roster construction.

For a broader context, Jacksonville’s wide receiver room is already well-stocked, with Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Brian Thomas Jr. leading the group. Washington delivered a strong 2025 campaign with 58 receptions for 847 yards and five touchdowns. Thomas Jr., meanwhile, added 48 catches for 707 yards and two scores.

Meyers, despite appearing in just nine games (seven starts), still contributed 42 receptions for 483 yards. Altogether, that production suggests the Jaguars aren’t lacking firepower at receiver.

Cornerback, however, is where the concerns begin to surface. The Jaguars entered the 2026 offseason with multiple expiring contracts at the position. And they’ve already seen Greg Newsome II depart for the New York Giants in free agency. While they retained Montaric Brown on a three-year, $33 million deal, the rest of the group, Christian Braswell, Jarrian Jones, and Keith Taylor, remain largely unproven at the top level.

That imbalance makes the situation clearer. Jacksonville doesn’t necessarily need Hunter to carry the offense, but they do need stability and upside in the secondary. And that’s where his role naturally shifts.

So while expectations remain that Hunter won’t be phased out at wide receiver, the Jaguars are still likely to lean more heavily on him defensively as he heads into his second NFL season.”