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Joey's fantasy football outlook for rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. Should fantasy managers target Travis Hunter in their fantasy football drafts?
The Jacksonville Jaguars were a mess in 2024, going 4-13. QB Trevor Lawrence looked like a shell of his previous self, and the defense was one of the league's worst. Head coach Doug Pederson was fired and replaced by Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen.
To accelerate their rebuild, the team took a big swing in the first round of the NFL Draft. Holding the fifth overall pick, Jacksonville traded up to second overall and selected Colorado two-way sensation Travis Hunter. It was a hefty price to pay - the Jags made several pick swaps and gave up a first-rounder in 2026 - but one that just might be worth it.
Hunter is exceptional at both wide receiver and cornerback, a kind of player who doesn't come around too often. But if Hunter plays both ways in the pros, how good can he be? Let's look at Hunter's college career and his strengths and weaknesses, and use them to project his success in the NFL.
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Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight: College Career
A sensational high school career made Hunter the top recruit in the country, according to 247 Sports and Rivals. He committed to play at Florida State in 2020, but shockingly flipped his commitment to Deion Sanders' Jackson State in 2021, becoming the first five-star recruit to sign with an HBCU or FCS school.
Hunter started in his first game for the Tigers in 2022, but was injured and missed the next five games. However, he still made an impact on both sides of the ball. As a defender, Hunter recorded 19 total tackles, eight pass breakups, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one defensive touchdown in seven games. As a receiver, he made 18 receptions for 190 yards and four touchdowns.
As a sophomore in 2023, Sanders left Jackson State to coach at Colorado, and Hunter followed him there. Transferring to a bigger program, could Hunter and Sanders rekindle the flame that the Buffaloes had been missing? The answer was a resounding yes; a team that went 1-11 in 2022 improved to 4-8 in 2023 and 9-4 in 2024.
Hunter and QB Shedeur Sanders were the main reason for the turnaround. As a sophomore in 2023, Hunter was able to play the majority of the snaps on both sides of the ball, although he still missed three games. On the season, Hunter hauled in 57 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns on offense and recorded three interceptions and 31 tackles on defense. As a result, he was named a 2023 Consensus All-American and second-team All-PAC-12.
2024 was Hunter's crowning achievement - he was arguably the nation's best wide receiver and defensive back. Hunter racked up 96 catches, 1,258 yards, and 15 TDs on offense, and 35 total tackles, four interceptions, and a forced fumble on defense. He also finished the regular season with nearly 1,400 snaps played on offense and defense, by far the most in the country.
Following the season, Hunter was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the nation's best player. He also became the first player to win both the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver). Hunter even earned Academic All-American status for the second year in a row.
After completing his second season at Colorado, Hunter declared for the 2025 NFL draft, and the Buffaloes honored him by retiring his No. 12 jersey.
Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight: Strengths
At the NFL Combine, Hunter was measured at 6 feet, 188 pounds - a build resembling a cornerback more than a wide receiver. However, his relatively skinny frame does not affect his play because Hunter plays much bigger than his size. I do believe Hunter was a better corner than receiver in college, but that could certainly change at the NFL level.
As a CB, Hunter pairs rare athleticism with exceptional instincts and ball skills, allowing him to make plays unlike many others. His burst and leaping ability allow him to beat receivers to the football and force turnovers.
Travis Hunter interception 🕺@TravisHunterJr x #GoBuffs
📺: CBS
pic.twitter.com/OSqIvjAlyY— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 15, 2024
Hunter's route recognition also improved noticeably in 2024. This helped him take advantage of his athleticism even more than the year prior, allowing him to stick to receivers on short crossers and comeback routes.
As a WR, Hunter is a dominant jump-ball receiver, using his leaping ability and body control to haul in the football over larger defensive backs. He has great hands - Hunter dropped just four passes in his college career - and his route-running features good rhythm and changing tempos, helping him to separate almost effortlessly.
Hunter is a big play waiting to happen - Colorado fed him curls and screens in 2024 because his home-run speed meant there was always the possibility that he could go the distance. He also has underrated quickness and can make the first man miss.
Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight: Weaknesses
While Hunter's frame isn't a concern for his on-field play, it could be a concern for his health. He played in every game in 2024, but missed three games in 2023 and five games in 2022. Add that to the fact that Hunter will be playing snaps on both sides of the ball, and there is some worry that he might not be able to stay healthy at the NFL level.
Not only did Travis Hunter take 115 snaps per game, but he also did it in the Colorado altitude.
What’s even cooler - he wasn’t conserving energy, but rather doing backflips and energizing the crowd with his celebrations.
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 22, 2024
Another potential issue in the NFL is his physicality. While a lot of his traits jump off the page, Hunter's strength does not, and shows in some of his reps on both sides of the ball.
As a receiver, Hunter sometimes struggles to beat press coverage and lacks the strength to break tackles when defensive backs are already latched onto him. As a corner, Hunter often fails to detach from his blocker on running plays. However, both issues can be dealt with via NFL conditioning and film studies.
Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight: Projection
The Jaguars went out and got Hunter, whom they considered the best player in the draft, and naturally had a clear plan for how they wanted to use him. Coen told reporters after the draft that he planned on using Hunter primarily as a wide receiver early on, giving him time to learn the playbook and adjust to playing both ways at the NFL level.
🚨VIDEO: The #Jaguars are telling Travis Hunter that they are committed to letting him play wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL.
“You got a bold vision…And we got a bold vision for you”
ELECTRIC 🔥🔥🔥
pic.twitter.com/8fi6zqJVyb— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 27, 2025
Hunter will step into the Jaguars' offense as the team's No. 2 WR behind young star Brian Thomas Jr., who just had one of the best rookie seasons for a receiver in NFL history. Thomas snagged 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 TDs, making a Pro Bowl in the process.
While the Jags lack any other clear threats in the passing game (new WR signing Dyami Brown and incumbent TE Brenton Strange don't exactly terrify defenses), Thomas and Hunter will immediately become one of the best receiver duos in the league. Their big and athletic profiles could help Trevor Lawrence make a much-needed return to form in 2025.
As a wide receiver, Hunter has Pro Bowl potential. His ability to make contested catches and separate from his man is top-notch, and his high football IQ means his technical skills will likely improve as well.
On defense, it's more likely that Hunter will play certain coverages and situations. For instance, in an obvious passing situation like a third down and eight, the Jags will almost certainly have Hunter out there at corner.
That will be a great way for him to get his feet wet while playing both ways in the NFL. When the game is on the line, Hunter will be playing snaps on both sides of the ball with the ability to impact either one.
Hunter will not be a Pro Bowl-level corner right away, especially if he plays limited snaps on defense. But if he eventually ends up playing the majority of the defensive snaps, Hunter truly could be one of the best players on both sides of the ball at the NFL level.
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