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Jaguars GM James Gladstone: Travis Hunter 'has got the energy' to play both ways all game

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz06/17/25NickSchultz_7
Jacksonville Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter
© Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As he won the Heisman Trophy a year ago, Travis Hunter impressed with his performance on both sides of the football at Colorado. His stamina also stood out, playing nearly every snap on offense and defense.

Now that he’s in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the question is whether Hunter can maintain that. Jaguars GM James Gladstone addressed that and said “time will tell,” but noted the two-way star is capable of fulfilling that role.

Gladstone pointed to Hunter’s ability to avoid getting tired, noting he has the energy to suit up on both sides for an entire NFL game. However, there’s still plenty of development to go before the season.

“Time will truly tell,” Gladstone told Andrew Siciliano on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I think the thing that you can in fact lean into at this stage is he does not tire. He has got a spark, he has got the energy. The capacity from a physical standpoint to be able to do it is certainly there. It’ll be, in terms of one game to the next, where does it fit? Where does it make the most sense? Certain game plans might dictate usage differently. So time will truly tell, and I don’t know that one game to the next is going to be the exact thing.

“But putting a number on it at this stage is, I think, probably premature. But looking forward to seeing how it really plays itself here and him earning his spot on both sides. Certainly going to be an opportunity for him. Got to take advantage of it here down the stretch.”

Travis Hunter ‘most naturally comfortable’ on defense

Travis Hunter totaled 1,258 yards and a Big 12-leading 15 touchdowns on offense while adding 36 tackles and four interceptions on defense as a cornerback. However, James Gladstone pointed out he’s probably most comfortable on defense, which is why the focus is on integrating him into the offense during the offseason program.

Once training camp rolls around, the plan is to sprinkle in more defense. That should set the table for Hunter to make an impact on both sides of the ball – in some way, shape or form.

“The windows for development in the NFL, they are few and far between,” Gladstone said. “The offseason program is where it exists in its healthiest state. Our understanding is that Travis is most naturally comfortable, most naturally in tune on the defensive side of the ball. We wanted to load him offensively throughout this window to ensure that by the time we got to training camp, we had a runway built up on that side because there’s so much more nuance, there’s more adjustment on the offensive side of the ball that would require a lot more learning.

“So with this phase of the process sort of being rooted through that lens, that’s why we wanted to put the emphasis on ‘O’ knowing that we would then trickle in the defensive participation a little bit more towards the back end of the offseason program and, really, as we get into training camp.”