Jaguars’ Hunter One of 15 Players Under Most Pressure This Season

The Jacksonville Jaguars are under a lot of pressure this season to prove last year's 13-4 record and AFC South divisional title were not a fluke.

Teams around the NFL can have a surprise season every once in a while before fading back into irrelevance. That's not what Jacksonville wants. The Jaguars are building a roster they hope can achieve sustained success. Head coach Liam Coen has already told his team that one season of winning is not enough to earn respect from the rest of the league.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence also has work to do if he wants to be thought of as part of the top group of QBs in the league. Even after his career year in 2025, when he finished fifth in MVP voting, many still have doubts over whether the former top overall pick has finally developed into the player he was expected to be. Lawrence was only 16th in a new set of QB rankings, determined by coaches and executives from around the NFL.

However, there may not be another Jaguars player with more to prove this season than Travis Hunter. Last year's second overall pick was the most uniquely talented player to come into the league in a long time, with the ability to be a two-way superstar at both wide receiver and cornerback.

Jacksonville gave up a lot to move up to draft Hunter. Unfortunately, he did not make the impact everyone believed was inevitable, and only played in seven games before a knee injury ended his rookie campaign.

Now a full-time CB and part-time WR, Hunter must become a superstar to meet the extraordinary expectations that followed him into the NFL. That is no easy task.

Eric Williams and Bucky Brooks of Fox Sports ranked the 15 NFL players under the most pressure this season , and Hunter came in at number five.

Must Silence Critics

Most teams would have had Hunter focus on only one position once he got to the NFL. The Jaguars not only allowed him to remain a two-way player, but were counting on him excelling at both spots.

The injury was unfortunate, but Hunter had not made much of an impact even before he got hurt. He may have been about to turn a corner, recording eight catches for 101 yards and his lone touchdown of the season in his last game, but we will never know.

While Hunter was used more at WR than CB last year, this season will be the opposite. Brooks believes that he will need to be an elite playmaker at both positions to silence his critics.

"After making a blockbuster trade to acquire Hunter in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jaguars are counting on their prized acquisition to make his mark in 2026 as a full-time cover corner and part-time offensive playmaker. Although Hunter flashed big-play potential as an offensive weapon as a rookie prior to his season-ending injury, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound dynamo is expected to step into the CB1 role this season to upgrade a turnover-obsessed defense with his ball-hawking presence.

"While questions persist about his athleticism and explosiveness after his ACL injury, the second-year pro must play like an elite defender and pass-catcher from Day 1 to silence the critics doubting his impact potential as a two-way pro."

To be clear, Hunter's injury was to his LCL, not ACL.

Final Thoughts

It may be a little much to expect Hunter to be a dominant WR this season. With a group that already includes a rejuvenated Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington, Hunter may not be used on offense as much as he (or the fans) would hope.

If he can become a true shutdown CB , I believe Hunter will silence his critics. An All-Pro season at corner will justify Hunter's draft position and will go a long way toward helping the Jaguars reach the team's first-ever Super Bowl.

Hunter is one of the most talented players in the NFL and could become one of the faces of the league. He needs to start showing it in Year 2, or there will start to be whispers that he is not the player most expected him to be.

That is a lot of pressure for a player who is still only 23, but that is what Jacksonville drafted him for.

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Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →