Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter had a standout game on offense during Monday night’s victory over the Chiefs. He caught all three passes thrown his way, totaling a career-high 64 yards. One of his key plays was a 44-yard reception that helped the Jaguars score a touchdown in the third quarter. He also made important plays, including a 12-yard catch for a first down and an eight-yarder that set up a long field goal.
Before this game, Hunter was averaging less than 30 receiving yards per game and had only three first downs in four games. His performance against the Chiefs marked a significant improvement. However, it still falls short of expectations for a player chosen as the No. 2 pick in the draft. Notably, the two wide receivers selected after him, Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka, are both outperforming him in terms of catches and yardage.
Defensively, Hunter played 39% of the team’s snaps, the same percentage he had in the previous games this season. While he is unique in playing both offense and defense, he hasn’t made the impact expected from such a high draft pick.
The Jaguars traded up to select Hunter, giving up a significant amount, including their 2026 first-round pick. What the team got from him on Monday night was promising, but they will need more consistency and productivity moving forward to justify that investment.
According to recent statistics, only a handful of players in the league regularly contribute on both sides of the ball, making Hunter’s dual-role even more intriguing. Still, for a franchise looking to compete, they need to see more from him to realize his full potential.
For more about the impact of dual-role players in the NFL, you can check out this insightful analysis by ESPN.
