(Editor’s note: This is excerpted from Mike Sando’s Pick Six of Oct. 27, 2025.)

3. Where is Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter on the path to altering the trajectory of the sport?

The irony of Jaguars general manager James Gladstone’s draft-day declaration that Hunter could “alter the trajectory of the sport itself” was that Hunter’s versatility makes him the opposite.

As a receiver/cornerback, Hunter is an unlikely throwback to the era of two-way players — an era made obsolete by specialization, which really did alter the trajectory of the sport itself.

Holding Hunter to his GM’s historic standard, especially this early in his career, would not be fair. Holding the Jaguars to such a standard when evaluating their decision to trade up for Hunter is inevitable.

“There are players who have the capacity to alter a game,” Gladstone said on draft day. “There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself. Travis, while he has a lot to still earn, in our eyes, has the potential to be just that.”

With 298 yards receiving, Hunter ranks tied with Robert Woods for 163rd among rookie wide receivers through their first seven games. Ja’Marr Chase holds the record (754 yards).

Hunter is third among rookie wideouts this season behind Emeka Egbuka (527) and Tetairoa McMillan (413). His quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, is frequently inaccurate, costing Hunter and others production.

On defense, Hunter has made little impact while sometimes getting pushed around by bigger receivers.

One concern for Hunter was that by spreading his efforts across two positions, he might not reach his potential in either. That might be especially true early in his career, while adjusting to competition against so many elite athletes and schemes.

Hunter can make the spectacular leaping catch. We saw that from him at Colorado, and we’ve seen it from him twice already during his brief Jaguars career, once on a 44-yard reception against Kansas City, and again on a 28-yarder against San Francisco. But if the Jaguars are looking for a true No. 1 wideout able to make a difference down after down, that might not be Hunter’s game. He’s more Brandon Lloyd than Brandon Marshall, in other words.

“There is not one trait other than ball skills that makes him different on offense,” an exec from another team said. “To reach his highest level, he is going to be in one spot, and it is going to be at corner.”

Per Pro Football Focus via TruMedia, Hunter has played 34 snaps of man coverage against pass plays on defense.

According to a coach who studied those snaps, Hunter shows good closing ability and burst in his transition from both press and off-man coverages, but he also plays small at 185 pounds, getting thrown off routes by bigger wideouts and missing tackles.

“Small sample, but you can see it,” the coach said of concerns about playing strength. “They talked about him like he is Deion Sanders — put him in the game and everything changes. There is nothing remarkable so far, at all.”

Hunter logged 462 snaps across all three phases through Week 7, most among rookie receivers and defensive backs. He played 67 percent of the snaps on offense, which was fourth among rookie receivers. He played 36 percent of the defensive snaps, which ranked 15th among rookie DBs.

That in itself is admirable, even remarkable. But no one spends the draft capital Jacksonville spent to secure a snap eater. The Jaguars chose Hunter with the second pick, acquired from Cleveland for the fifth and 36th picks, plus a 2026 first-round choice, among other considerations.

The Browns took defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5 and running back Quinshon Judkins at 36. Graham has played three-quarters of the snaps for the No. 3 defense in EPA per play, and Judkins is 14th in the league in rushing.

“The only way you prove that this worked is to let him play receiver this year, let him learn a complete offense, and then the next year, play him a majority on defense,” another exec said. “You won’t get value until like your third year.”