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The Jacksonville Jaguars paid a high price to trade up for Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter in the 2025 NFL Draft, but his two-way value is being put on hold for the time being.
Hunter is set to primarily play cornerback in 2026 as the Jaguars try to win another AFC South title, a shift from their pledge to play him both ways as a rookie. Hunter said before the 2025 draft that playing on both sides of the ball was a must.
The former Colorado star missed the second half of his rookie season with a knee injury, though the Jaguars got by fine offensively in a resurgent year under coach Liam Coen.
Here's what you need to know about Hunter's move to full-time cornerback.
MORE: Updated 2026 NFL mock draft with trades
Why is Travis Hunter moving to cornerback full-time?
Hunter will be a full-time cornerback in 2026 with occasional work as a wide receiver, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
"They expect him to be a full-time corner, part-time receiver," Rapoport said, adding that the Jaguars are expecting Hunter to miss OTAs but be back for training camp after tearing his LCL in the fall.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: The #Jaguars first round draft pick in 2026 is still Travis Hunter Jr. A look at what's next for him and what they are looking at in the Draft. pic.twitter.com/87kcRcg2Ob
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2026Both sides certainly hoped to explore how much value Hunter could provide as a two-way player, but his rookie season didn't provide a clear answer. The No. 2 pick struggled as a wide receiver, posting 298 yards and a touchdown across seven games, and his time on the field offensively might have hampered his ability to hone in on his craft as a cornerback.
Hunter is also recovering from LCL surgery, so it might make more sense to limit his snaps to one side of the ball for now. The Jaguars have more confidence in their wide receiver room than they did a year ago, as Jakobi Meyers is now in the fold full-time while Parker Washington is coming off a breakout season. With Brian Thomas Jr. still on the roster despite trade rumors, Jacksonville has a sound trio outside of Hunter.
The report confirms the Jaguars aren't done with Hunter as a wide receiver, as he should still see some work on the offensive ball, but Jacksonville appears to be intent on maximizing his value as a cornerback before anything else.
MORE: Full NFL first-round draft order
Travis Hunter LCL injury
Hunter suffered a torn LCL in practice in late October. While it was initially believed Hunter could return at some point late in the season, he underwent season-ending surgery and is still working his way back to full strength.
The knee injury is expected to keep Hunter off the field for OTAs this spring, but he is reportedly expected to be a full-go by the time training camp rolls around in late July.
Travis Hunter defensive stats
| Games | INT | Pass deflections | Comp. rate | Passer rating | Tackles |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | 50.0% | 68.3 | 15 |
Hunter appeared in seven games in 2025, notching three pass deflections and no interceptions but holding opposing quarterbacks to a 50 percent completion rate ad 68.3 passer rating when targeted.
Travis Hunter offensive stats
| Games | Rec. | Yards | TD | Y/R |
| 7 | 28 | 198 | 1 | 10.6 |
Hunter got off to a slow start as a receiver in his rookie season, failing to exceed 35 yards until Week 4, but his final game before the injury was his best. The No. 2 pick put up 101 yards and his first career touchdown against the Rams, albeit in a blowout loss.
According to the Jaguars' current plans, that kind of high-volume role he had against L.A. might not be possible in 2026.
How old is Travis Hunter?
Hunter is 22 years old; he is set to turn 23 in May, so he's entering his age-23 season.
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