Latest / Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast / What Position(s) Will Travis Hunter Actually Play in 2026?

Transcript

What Position(s) Will Travis Hunter Actually Play in 2026? · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacksonville, Jack Wars, fans, welcome in to Dove All, daily presented by jingyag.com.
• 0:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Aluga, thanks so much for being here Tuesday, April 14th, right now we're continuing to talk about Travis Hunter and not talking about the drama as much as like what I actually expect to happen, what James Ladsdon has actually said, where this could all go, and the bottom line is.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Anybody, I believe this, anybody who says this is what's going to happen with Travis Hunter.
• 0:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis Hunter is going to be a full-time corner and a part-time receiver.
• 0:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis Hunter is going to be a gadget receiver.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis Hunter is not playing both sides of the ball anymore.
• 0:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: That stuff is ridiculous.
• 0:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rapsheet doubled down.
• 0:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like Ian Rappaport went on NFL network yesterday.
• 0:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I just said this isn't gonna be dramatic, but it is what it is.
• 0:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Went on NFL network yesterday.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And basically back, he basically doubled down on exactly what he said a couple of days ago that Travis Hunter kind of refuted on Twitter.
• 1:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: He went back, kind of clapped back at Travis Hunter.
• 1:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: which I shared it on my Twitter, so you can go check it out.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: See the full video.
• 1:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just thought that that was pretty ridiculous.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: By rap sheet.
• 1:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, I strongly believe the jag wars don't know exactly how it's going to go in 2026 for Travis Hunter.
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really don't.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's gonna be a fluid situation.
• 1:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think, and when I say fluid, I mean, which side of the ball is he on more?
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: We can go back to what James Gladstone actually said.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this is literally the only thing we have legitimately heard about what Travis Hunter's role will be.
• 1:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this was January 14th.
• 1:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: This was three months ago.
• 2:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's very fair to say the rehab process is going as expected and we've heard updates on the injury front.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's going to be limited during the spring should be full during training camp.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's hitting it hard and obviously the joy that he brings to just the everyday operation is still something that permeates throughout the space that he enters and beyond and that role that he'll play.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: We still expect him to play on both sides of the ball.
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, you can take a peek at expiring contracts on our roster and which side of the ball has more.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, at this point walking into the off-season corner is a position that we have a few guys who are on expiring contracts.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: By default, you can expect there to be a higher emphasis on his placement.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, who did the jack was actually lose that corner?
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Greg Newsom, at receiver, they lost the army round, Tim Patrick still hasn't resigned, so from a number of standpoint, I actually think that the corner back depth is stronger than the wider receiver depth right now.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: However,
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: They need Travis Hunter as a starting corner.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: They don't need Travis Hunter as a starting receiver.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have Jacobi Myers who they just paid.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have Parker Washington who I think they're going to pay and they have Brian Thomas Jr.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: So they've got a really good group of three right there at receiver.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Beyond that, it's Travis Hunter and guys who are quite frankly, not very exciting to see on the depth chart.
• 3:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: You have bust around who you just paid.
• 3:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jordan Lewis, who you are paying.
• 3:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jarian Jones, who has proven himself as an inside-air outside guy.
• 3:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Christian Brasswell, who you brought back as an exclusive rights for agent, because he acquitted himself very well in your one with you.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Keith Taylor, who you signed like on Christmas Day and decided to bring back because you liked what you saw from him.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, I think they are a little deeper at corner than wider seaver overall, but they need Travis Hunter as a starting corner.
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I still do think just if you're looking at what happens in 2026, there's more corner back reps than receiver reps.
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do think that that's true, it's just obvious looking at the two position groups.
• 4:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's also
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: What is he gonna give you the most at right now as compared to what you have?
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, the Jaguar has have a good group of three receivers, plus Britain's strange, plus Bacial Tutan and Lee Quen Allen, right?
• 4:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that they're gonna add to that in the draft.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really hope that they add another tie-dend who has some reliable hands.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: But,
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: at corner, like, if you have Travis Hunter and Buster Brown out there is CB1 and CB2 on the outside and then Jordan Lewis or Darian Jones and the nickel, that's a really good spot to be in.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think that that's how it's going to look more often than not, but I also see Adam Shefter talking about the plan is to use him at receiver as they did last year.
• 5:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: but to ramp it up on the defensive side of the ball.
• 5:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if that's accurate either.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's more of what Jack's fans want to hear.
• 5:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jack's fans want to hear him at receiver and at corner a ton.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: you traded up a lot, gave up a lot to go get him, right?
• 5:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you absolutely did.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I still do think it's going to be more corner this year than receiver, but that doesn't mean it's going to be like that every week.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's going to be week to week, game to game, matchup to matchup.
• 5:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because I think there's going to be weeks where maybe you're going up against a team that just doesn't have a legit wide receiver one, a legit big wide receiver one.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you say, OK, this is a week where maybe we get Travis Hunter more reps on the offensive side of the ball.
• 6:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because we just don't need a measurement.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like we have bust, like, oh,
• 6:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're playing a team that does not have legit wide receiver one out there, can you do a good job defensively with three of your other corners?
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think you can.
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, if you need him to go play against the star wide receivers in the league, which you're going to face them more weeks than not.
• 6:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: most teams have a legitimate number one receiver or the majority of teams, I guess I should say, more than 50% then yeah, you definitely won't, I'm out there and I think you won't, I'm out there regardless, but I think there will be weeks where wider receivers a little bit more than corner and also you have to factor in injuries too to this scenario like if Parker Washington goes down to
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: or Brian Thomas Jr.
• 7:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think you're clearly talking about Travis Hunter as a starter in 11 personnel without question.
• 7:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I also think one of the things you can look at is if you get into more 12 and 13 personnel then he's just not on the field by default either.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: This year and it's not like the Jaguars were on the low end of that but I think they could be even higher if they go get another
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: a good tight end and I would like to see that.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I just think it's going to be fluid.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think all these people wanting to be right, you know, Ian Rappaport, clapping back at Travis Hunter, Adam Shefter talking about it.
• 7:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: you know, how brand everybody, yeah.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think anybody actually knows.
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, I don't think the Jaguar is actually no.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: How it's going to go from a actual snap percentage on offense or defense.
• 8:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they wanted to play a lot of snaps.
• 8:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's going to play over a hundred percent of the snaps and when I say over a hundred percent of the snaps, like I think it will probably be
• 8:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, you know, if the Jaguars run 65 offensive snaps a game, 65 defensive snaps a game, something like that, he'll probably have over 65 snaps, right?
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that he'll have, if you're talking about the full offense and defensive snaps, I think it will be over 50% of the snaps.
• 8:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's kind of how I view it and I think he was getting close to that point last year even though he was playing a lot more offense than defense, but I think that he's going to play Probably 60% and this is just a guess this is not me saying I have this information this is what I've been told
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think probably 60 plus, probably over two thirds of the defensive snaps.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, I think that that's factoring in some weeks you just don't need him on defense as much.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think there's gonna be a lot of games where it's like, yeah, pretty much every defensive snap.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then, I think if you're like 65% defense, probably like 35 to 40% offense,
• 9:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, that's by need.
• 9:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Parker Washington, great player.
• 9:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacobie Meyer is very good player.
• 9:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: BTJ, obviously that really, really dangerous vertical threat.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, run game.
• 9:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's going to be more of an emphasis this year.
• 10:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Britain strange big emphasis.
• 10:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully, another really good young tight end big emphasis.
• 10:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's kind of how I view it, like what I am expecting.
• 10:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I'm also ready to expect the unexpected here.
• 10:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm also saying that I don't know, this is just my best guest based on the roster, based on his skill set.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the biggest improvement that Travis Hunter needs to show is just timing on offense.
• 10:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: The routes that require precise timing,
• 10:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Those are the ones that need the most improvement.
• 10:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's where just like the minute-find details of playing receiver, that's what needs the most improvement.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: The physical skill set is there to be a great receiver, three-level threat.
• 10:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the physical skill set and the technical side of things is ready to be a top 10 corner at minimum right now.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all tuning in.
• 11:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe y'all have a good one.