Hunter played 162 snaps as a defender in seven games, recording 15 tackles and three passes defensed in a secondary that also included Jarrian Jones, Tyson Campbell (who was later traded for Browns corner Greg Newsome II) and Montaric “Buster” Brown. With a greater need at receiver, coach Liam Coen wisely decided to focus Hunter’s efforts on the offensive side of the ball before Hunter’s LCL injury required surgery, bringing his debut campaign to an abrupt end.
Considering Hunter’s preparation for the 2026 season included recovering from surgery, it’s surprising to hear Gladstone set such high workload expectations for Hunter in Year 2. He’s expected to be a full participant in training camp, per Gladstone, but the thought of pushing a prized first-round pick further when he’s coming off surgery could be concerning.
Jaguars leadership might argue Hunter is made for the challenge. The Heisman Trophy winner built his collegiate legend around tireless effort, averaging 117 snaps per game while playing at Colorado. By all accounts, Hunter was ramping up toward a larger workload before suffering the injury during practice. Placing him on such a track would stand as a continuation of those plans.
Rumblings out of Jacksonville have varied on how the Jaguars might distribute Hunter’s reps between receiver and cornerback, with some reports suggesting he may end up becoming their primary corner and spend less time on offense. If offseason moves provide any hints, Jacksonville seemed to follow such a plan, adding two receivers in the draft while selecting Maryland safety Jalen Huskey with the No. 100 overall pick and neglecting cornerback entirely.
“It’s not to say [his usage] won’t increase on offense either, but it was lower on the defensive side this past season,” Gladstone said. “We also have a different defensive cornerback room and the bodies are different than it was a year ago. Our roster construction is different than it was a year ago, so it’s more fitting to slot him at corner than it was last year.”
We’re still two-plus months away from the start of training camp. Hunter has time to prepare for such expectations. They’ll remain sky high for the former No. 2 overall pick.
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