Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. offered a blunt assessment of Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter, saying the first-year player is not yet ready to handle wide receiver responsibilities at the professional level.
Smith made the remarks on the latest episode of his “89 Podcast,” pointing to Hunter’s route running as a major concern through the first two weeks of the season.
“He needs to learn how to play receiver,” Smith said. “Because the routes that he’s running, they aren’t crisp routes. They aren’t NFL ready routes to where he has to line up against, when they play the Houston Texans and play Stingley, or Lassiter, or Patrick Surtain what’s going to happen.”
Smith compared the transition Hunter faces to moving from a small pond to an ocean.
“Travis Hunter is a big fish in a pond. Now that young man is in an ocean. And you know what is in that ocean? Beluga whales, killer whales, dolphins, eels, sharks. So there are a lot of bigger, I didn’t say better, bigger, more refined fish in that ocean.”
Steve Smith Jr. urges Travis Hunter to master one role as Jaguars balance snaps
While Smith noted that it remains early in the season, he emphasized his preference for Hunter to narrow his focus.
“I’d prefer that he would be excellent at one than trying to be average at both,” Smith said.
The 22-year-old rookie, drafted for his rare two-way ability, has split time between offense and defense in Jacksonville’s first two games. Against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, he caught six passes for 33 yards on eight targets during a 26-10 win. He followed with three receptions for 22 yards on six targets in a 31-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.
According to NBC’s Michael David Smith, Hunter has been on the field for 61 percent of the Jaguars’ offensive snaps and 37 percent of their defensive snaps through two weeks, totaling 133 plays. The Jaguars have looked to balance his workload while gradually expanding his defensive role, though his offensive output has drawn criticism.
Smith’s comments highlight the challenges facing Hunter as he adjusts to the speed and demands of the NFL. His potential remains a central storyline in Jacksonville as the franchise evaluates how best to utilize his versatility.
The Jaguars (1-1) return to action on Sunday, Sept. 21, when they host the Houston Texans (0-2) at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
