Second-year CB/WR Travis Hunter showcased the tantalizing two-way production on Sunday that the Jacksonville Jaguars dreamed about when they traded up to select the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Jacksonville traded the 2025 fifth overall pick, a 2025 second-round pick (No. 36), a 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 126) and a 2026 first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns to move up three spots to the second overall pick while also picking up a 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 104) and a 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 200). That was a heavy investment of draft capital for Hunter, and the Jaguars weren't able to fully capitalize on his skillset his rookie year with it being cut short at the end of October by a torn LCL. 

The Jaguars fell 34-31 after a buzzer-beating field goal from the Houston Texans in London. But the game represented the start of the game-changing, two-way impact they envisioned for Hunter. He started at cornerback while catching all four of his targets at wide receiver for 59 yards and a touchdown, a seven-yarder that cut the Texans' lead to 31-28 with 11:26 left in the game. On the next Texans' drive after his touchdown, Hunter picked off Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud in the end zone for a crucial stop, marking Stroud's first interception of the entire 2026 season. That allowed the Jaguars to tie the game at 31 with 1:55 left to play. 

Hunter is now the first player with a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game since Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins did so back in 2022, also against the Texans. Hunter's performance on Sunday is now just the fourth time a player has produced a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game (including the playoffs) since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. 

* Occurred in the playoffs

How Hunter is being deployed

It's interesting to see the shift in how the Jaguars are deploying Hunter this season compared to his rookie year in 2025. Last season, Hunter profiled as a full-time wide receiver moonlighting at cornerback. Of his 459 total snaps from scrimmage, around two-thirds of them were on offense (66.4%, 305 of 459) and a third of them were on defense (33.6%, 154 of 459) in seven games played. He racked up 298 yards receiving and a touchdown with 28 catches on 45 targets while totaling three passes defended and a fumble with 15 total tackles in seven games in 2025.

So far in 2026, Hunter has transitioned to full-time cornerback while playing wide receiver as a side hustle. Of his 322 snaps from scrimmage this season, just over 90% of them (90.7%, 292 of 322) are on defense, and just under 10% of them (9.3%, 30 of 322) are on offense. Hunter has caught all six of his targets this season for 76 yards receiving and a touchdown, with the bulk of that coming on Sunday. He's also totaled two interceptions, three passes defended, and 22 tackles in six games. 

It seems like head coach Liam Coen and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile have found a winning formula for Hunter's usage with the team out to a 4-2 start and first place in the AFC South through six weeks. More often than not, Hunter making a splash on both sides of the ball will yield winning outcomes for the Jaguars, exactly what Jacksonville hoped for when trading up to select him second overall just two drafts ago.