The first week of the preseason always brings a handful of highly-anticipated rookie debuts, and perhaps none were more hyped up than Travis Hunter's first game in a Jacksonville Jaguars uniform. The Jags and their new No. 2 overall pick took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first game of the preseason on Saturday night.
Even more than how well he actually played, all eyes were on how Liam Coen and the new Jacksonville staff would deploy Hunter, who excelled in college on both sides of the ball at wide receiver and cornerback. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn't play a ton, but he did get reps on both sides of the ball.
Hunter played 10 snaps on the opening drive with the starting offense. He was targeted twice by Trevor Lawrence underneath and failed to do much after the catch, finishing with nine yards on a pair of catches. However, his route running was on display on the second completion as he was able to generate some separation on a juke route.
He also had a third reception that was taken off the board due to a penalty.
The former Colorado star also played eight snaps on defense after being listed on the second team on the team's first unofficial depth chart. He was not targeted in coverage and missed one tackle on the perimeter, so it wasn't a stellar showing for him on that side. However, there is still plenty of time and room to improve.
Hunter's usage was about what should have been expected considering how the Jaguars have been using him during training camp. It's unclear what his reps on the defensive side will look like as a rookie, but it's clear that he will be a big part of the offense alongside Brian Thomas Jr. on the outside and will be one of the top targets for Lawrence this fall.
Hunter's speed and shake will make him a very tough cover even for NFL corners, and that was on display in his debut. His ability to make contested catches downfield is also a special skill and one that will allow him to seamlessly make the transition to wide receiver in the NFL.
