Travis Hunter is slated to go No. 2 overall. The NFL’s first two-way star of the modern era. The Jacksonville Jaguars were willing to give up on the tryout after a disappointing rookie year, and this season Hunter has spent his time as a full-time cornerback. Hunter has just one catch for eight yards in four games so far this season, but he looks good at cornerback for a Jaguars team that feels like a contender outside of the AFC.
The Jags beat the Bengals 22-17 on a day where Joe Burrow put up big passing numbers, but Jacksonville’s defense did its job to limit the scoring. Hunter was part of the Jags’ defensive success and finished the game with three sacks and two pass breakups. Late in the first quarter, Hunter appeared to have his second interception of the season, but the game was called back due to a penalty.
Too bad Hunter’s interception didn’t count, because he ended the game with the worst juke move of the NFL season. After an interception, Hunter yanked Ty Higgins out of his shoes, then ran down the field to put the Jags in the end zone. Too bad it didn’t matter, because it was actually one of the best highlights of the NFL season.
This kind of unknown was believed to be the NFL’s absolute savior, a two-way player coming out of Colorado. Maybe it will still happen to him in the end. Good things happen when Hunter gets his hands on the football, and this is a quick and spontaneous example of what makes Juke the special athlete he is.
The Jags are rolling, and Hunter is a real part of a solid defense. If the Jags can figure out how to use his talent offensively, there’s still a chance he could be the unicorn he should have been entering the draft.
