Why NFL ‘unicorn’ is primed for London breakout

NFL 2025 season: Week seven

Just six games into his professional career, Travis Hunter has already established himself as an NFL “unicorn”.

No other rookie has played so much on both offence and defence for at least 30 years.

After being named college football’s top performer, Hunter made it clear before this year’s draft that he wants to keep being a full-time two-way player.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a statement by trading up to select Hunter with the second overall pick and have given him the opportunity he desired, with general manager James Gladstone saying the 22-year-old could “alter the trajectory of the sport”.

So far his progress has been steady. Hunter has contributed to a 4-2 start for the Jaguars, although he has yet to truly showcase his playmaking ability on both sides of the ball.

Two-way players have previously been steered into one position in the NFL as it was felt playing both is unsustainable.

There is no blueprint for how to develop players like Hunter as no team has attempted it in the modern era, so managing his workload has been a work in progress for the Jaguars.

Their approach is constantly evolving, with head coach Liam Coen saying he and his staff were even discussing tweaks to Hunter’s schedule on the flight from Florida on Monday.

“Every day it’s a great challenge for us,” said Coen. “His position coaches, athletic trainers, media – everybody has to be involved in the process.

“When you’re working with a guy that just loves football, loves to work, loves to play, you really want to help people like that.

“I think he’s somebody who’ll continue to get better each week and it has been a fun challenge so far.”

Hunter has made 15 tackles and broken up two passes as a cornerback on defence, as well as making 20 catches for 197 yards as a wide receiver on offence.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has targeted only Brian Thomas Jr more often, with only Thomas and tight end Brenton Strange having more receiving yards, but the Jags have been designing more plays where Hunter would be Lawrence’s primary target.

Hunter’s biggest play so far saw him leap above two defenders to make a 44-yard catch in the week five win over the Kansas City Chiefs, and it was one which he and Lawrence had worked on multiple times after failing to connect in practice.

“There’s not many guys who are willing to do that after a hard practice, run eight 50-yard routes back-to-back until we get it right,” said Lawrence.

“He wanted to, he was the one pushing that. He’s a hard worker. That type of mindset from him is great for me as a quarterback.”

Their relationship is vital. Lawrence was the first overall draft pick in 2021 and has established himself as the Jags’ franchise quarterback, so the 26-year-old hopes to be throwing passes to Hunter “for a long time”.

“There’s a lot of conversations that go into each week, every gameplan, trying to get dialled in so that we are on the same page and have that chemistry,” said Lawrence. “That’s so important for a quarterback and wide receiver.

“I’m finding more ways to get him the ball. Sometimes we might not get him as many touches as we want, the game unfolds differently, but we’re consistently trying because he’s so special when he gets opportunities downfield or just catches the ball underneath.

Across his first six games, Hunter has played 62.8% of the Jaguars’ offensive snaps and 38.8% of defensive snaps – just over half in total.

Deion Sanders also played as a cornerback and receiver, most notably during the 1996 season.

He was Hunter’s college coach at Colorado and Jackson State, and Sanders believes that the Jaguars are “not using him enough”.

“I’ve seen it every day for three straight years,” Sanders told the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast. “I know what he’s capable of, and I know how you’ve got to take care of him.”

However, NFL analyst Ryan Clark is among those who believe the Jags should develop Hunter as a cornerback first, then gradually as a receiver.

“He will be more impactful full-time on one side than moonlighting on both,” Clark wrote on X.

Hunter played more on defence in weeks two and three. His defensive snaps were then limited in week four because of a shoulder problem, and again in week five as fit-again veteran Montaric Brown’s snap count increased.

After getting married in May and becoming a father in August, a big year for Hunter off the field continued as he was baptised before last Sunday’s loss to Seattle.

“It means a lot,” he said after the game. “I’m becoming a better man, leaving my old flesh and becoming the new Travis.”

Asked on Wednesday what he hopes the ‘new Travis’ will be, he said: “Just respectful, kind, always loyal to my people. Being up front and straightforward, a family person.”

In terms of on the field, Hunter knows patience is key as he aims to register his first NFL touchdown or interception on Sunday.