Travis Hunter’s NFL debut sparks debate as Jaguars push him to offense and critics call it a mistake

Travis Hunter entered the NFL with the kind of buzz few rookies ever experience. After becoming the first player to win both the Fred Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top wide receiver and the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player, the expectation was clear: Hunter would carry his two-way brilliance into the pros.

But the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first big decision on the rookie’s role has already stirred controversy.

Jaguars list Travis Hunter as starting wide receiver despite defensive legacy

ESPN insider Adam Schefter recently revealed the Jaguars’ unofficial depth chart, which lists Hunter as a starting wide receiver but only a backup cornerback. That means he’ll line up alongside Dyami Brown and Brian Thomas Jr. on offense while sitting behind Tyson Campbell and Jourdan Lewis on defense.

For many, this decision looks like a gamble. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen explained his reasoning, pointing to Hunter’s preseason debut where he made two catches for nine yards in 10 offensive snaps but missed a tackle on defense.

“He missed the one tackle defensively that I noticed, like that was the only thing that I kind of noticed,” Coen admitted, while praising Hunter’s offensive choices.

NFL veterans warn Travis Hunter may be starting his career on the wrong foot

Not everyone agrees with Jacksonville’s direction. Two-time Super Bowl champion Logan Ryan voiced his concerns, stressing that cornerbacks can’t simply be rotated in mid-game. “We’re like starting pitchers. We are not relievers. You cannot bring us mid in the inning, that’s different,” Ryan argued.

“I wish it was the other way.”His perspective echoes Hunter’s college mentor, Deion Sanders, who has long pushed for his protégé to embrace his two-way legacy. Sanders has called Hunter “phenomenal” and believes the NFL should let him do what few have ever managed.Also Read: Could the Philadelphia Eagles really be the NFL’s next dynasty? Insider’s strong prediction has fans buzzingAs the Jaguars move forward, the debate will only grow louder: should Travis Hunter be molded into a wide receiver, or unleashed as the two-way phenom the football world expected?