What Can We Expect From Jaguars Two-Way Star Travis Hunter In Week 1?

In picking Travis Hunter No. 2 overall in the draft, Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said he expected the two-way talent to "alter the trajectory of the sport."

The GM already sees the competitive advantage of Hunter's presence. Each week, opposing teams won’t know exactly how he will be deployed. Hunter could play exclusively on one side of the ball for one game. Maybe it's 50-50 for another. A more uneven mixture for a third. Opposing teams will be left guessing, playing into Jacksonville’s favor. 

"I think the fact that that exists is certainly a hand that we'll keep close [to the vest]," Gladstone said last week. 

Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter will make his NFL debut on Sunday when the Jaguars host the Panthers. But where will he play? (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

That’s why it’s difficult to say exactly what it will all look like for Hunter as the season gets underway. 

What we know is that Hunter and the Jacksonville brass are committed to making him the NFL’s first regular two-way player since the 1960s. He’s in line to debut in the Jaguars’ season opener Sunday against the Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Hunter returned to practice fully last week after dealing with an upper-body injury, which kept him out of Jacksonville’s last two preseason games. 

His usage could change depending on matchups, but at least early on, it's possible that he focuses on offense while holding a more secondary role on defense. That blueprint was showcased in his 18 preseason snaps, all of which came on Aug. 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers — 10 with the starting offense at wide receiver and eight with the second-string defense at cornerback. 

Offensively, the Jaguars appear intent on maximizing Hunter's