Will Travis Hunter Focus on Cornerback?

The Footballguys staff discusses whether Travis Hunter will focus primarily on defense in 2026.

Jason Wood's Will Travis Hunter Focus on Cornerback? Jason Wood Published 04/20/2026

© Travis Register-Imagn Images Travis Hunter Jacksonville Jaguars

We are proud to be among the first, if not the first, to publish full projections for the upcoming season, going live just days after the Super Bowl. Publishing detailed projections in early February comes with trade-offs, not the least of which is a near-total lack of clarity on how free agency, cap transactions, and the NFL draft will reshape rosters.

We've been updating our projections in near real time, including during the recent onslaught of free-agent transactions. This version will remain largely stable until we can layer in the April NFL draft, but stable projections don't mean settled debates.

We have a staff of sharp analysts with sharp takes of their own, so I thought it would be worthwhile to solicit their views on the key coin-toss situations that will shape each team's outlook in the coming months. These are important questions where reasonable, informed people can credibly land in very different places. I asked my colleagues to weigh in with one assumption: they were answering strictly through the lens of a standard 0.5-PPR redraft league.

Jacksonville Jaguars Coin-Toss Questions


The tea leaves seem to point to Travis Hunter focusing more on cornerback this season. Are you in alignment with that viewpoint?

Andy Hicks: I don't completely agree. The addition of Jakobi Meyers and strong play from Parker Washington allow Brian Thomas Jr. to get another chance to be the No. 1. If Thomas, Trevor Lawrence, and the coaching staff can all be on the same page, Jacksonville shouldn't need Hunter to play receiver. Focusing on the demanding cornerback position would allow Hunter to develop into an elite player; splitting time appeared to hurt his play as a rookie. However, if Thomas regresses, Hunter may have to come back into play. We need to be prepared for this situation to remain fluid. 

Maurile Tremblay: Yes, I agree. Jacksonville has firmly transitioned him to full-time cornerback as his primary role and views him as its No. 1 shutdown option when healthy. Anthony Campanile is explicitly moving Hunter from a two-way split to a clear-cut shutdown cornerback responsibility. His occasional offensive usage won't amount to a true two-way role.

Jeff Haseley: I'm in agreement regarding Hunter. The tea leaves say cornerback is his future. He'll have some designed plays on offense, but I don't see him as a full-time wide receiver.

Jason Wood's Verdict

 

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