During organized team activities, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't use dual-threat rookie Travis Hunter on both sides of the ball in a single practice. To close out mandatory minicamp, they changed it up.
Midway through practice on Thursday, Hunter transitioned from offense to defense.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said after the session that the test drive was in advance of the rookie practicing more on both sides in training camp and during the regular season.
"That's definitely what we have to build towards for training camp and then obviously in season, knowing that during practice, he's gonna have to do both," Coen said. "He wants to do it. It's not as if it's something where he can't handle [it]. He wants to go and do that more. He wants more, and that's a good thing. But ultimately, we have to also protect him from himself at times as well and make sure we get out of this phase healthy. But that is absolutely the plan moving forward."
The key for the Jags during training camp and the regular season is not overworking the rookie while also ensuring he's up to speed at both positions.
How will Coen and Co. keep him fresh while still getting him reps at both spots?
One of the fascinating storylines of the 2025 season will be how much the Jags use Hunter on each side of the ball, particularly early in the campaign when first-year players are usually still in the learning phase.
