Travis Hunter kept giving Jaguars fans reasons to buzz on Aug. 9 at the Miller Electric Center, and the loudest moment came on a play that didn’t technically count.
Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence had already been ruled sacked by safety Eric Murray while trying to escape pressure. Lawrence still got the ball away, though, firing toward Parker Washington in the end zone with cornerback Jarrian Jones trailing and the play stretching about 50 yards.
Hunter closed from underneath, climbed above everyone else and snatched the ball for what was unofficially his second interception of training camp. The crowd erupted, and Hunter punctuated the moment on his final defensive snap of the day.
It was another reminder of the explosiveness and ball skills that have made him such a striking figure in camp, the kind of play that brings to mind the closing speed of his college coach at Colorado, Deion Sanders, when Sanders was the nation’s top cornerback at Florida State and later built a Hall of Fame NFL career. Sanders may have been onto something when he pushed Hunter toward defense, but the Jaguars are not ready to lock him into just one role yet.
Hunter spent another busy day split between both sides of the ball, and the defensive workload was heavier. In what was his eighth full practice in nine sessions, he had more snaps on defense than offense.
On offense, Hunter caught one pass over the middle while covered by linebacker Ventrell Miller. Backup quarterback Nick Mullens spotted the mismatch immediately and attacked it for what would have been roughly a 15-yard gain.
In 11-on-11 team periods on Day 10 of camp, Hunter logged eight offensive snaps and 12 defensive snaps. For the camp season, that puts him at 50 offensive snaps and 81 on defense in 11-on-11 work and the team’s Aug. 7 mock game, for a total of 131.
He has also taken five offensive snaps and seven defensive snaps in 7-on-7 periods, though the team has not run live 7-on-7 drills in practices open to the media since Day 3 of camp.
Hunter found the end zone once more in a red-zone 1-on-1 period, beating Jabbar Muhammad on a touchdown catch.
Through camp, Hunter has seven receptions and one rushing play on offense. On defense, he has two interceptions and three passes defensed, if the pick against Lawrence is included.
In Other News...
Trevor Lawrences Saints Week Focus Says A Lot About Jaguars Plans
Trevor Lawrences preseason routine is starting to look different, and it says plenty about how the Jaguars are trying to manage their quarterback heading into the new season. Rather than leaning heavily on game snaps, Jacksonville is giving more weight to daily practice work and the kind of controlled, competitive reps that come in joint sessions, with the Saints now serving as a key part of that plan.
For Lawrence, the appeal is obvious: those practices can feel closer to game speed without the same exposure that comes with preseason action. For the Jaguars, the goal is just as clear, reducing injury risk while still giving the offense enough work to sharpen timing and find its rhythm before the games count for real. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Camp Is Starting To Reveal A Very Different Offensive Plan
Two weeks and nine practices into camp, the Jaguars are starting to show what their offense might actually look like once the games count. Parker Washington has been the most noticeable receiver so far, and the early reads from camp suggest he is moving toward a bigger role than many expected. The running back mix also looks far less rigid than a traditional pecking order, with Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and LeQuint Allen all in line to share work.
Travis Hunter is adding another layer to the picture by practicing extensively at both wide receiver and cornerback, which makes Jacksonvilles personnel usage even more interesting to track. The setup points to an offense that may lean on flexibility and matchup-driven usage more than fixed roles, especially in passing situations and on early downs. For a team still sorting out who will be where when the season opens, camp has already made one thing clear: the Jaguars are not building this group in a conventional way. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Give Grant Udinski A Bigger Stage In Preseason Opener
Grant Udinski is getting a meaningful early test in Jacksonville, and it comes before the games start counting. The Jaguars offensive coordinator will handle full play-calling duties in the preseason opener against the Saints on Aug. 15, giving him a bigger stage as he continues to settle into a larger role with the team. He has already done it once, having called plays in Jacksonvilles final preseason game last season, but this opportunity arrives with a little more attention attached after a busy offseason that included head coaching interviews.
The timing makes it even more interesting for the Jaguars, who will also spend Aug. 13 in a joint practice with New Orleans before the exhibition game. Those two days should offer a cleaner look at how the offense functions with Udinski directing things from the sideline and how much of the system is ready for live reps. For a coordinator who had chances to leave but opted to stay in Jacksonville, the first preseason game is more than routine work. It is a chance to show what the Jaguars can expect when the offense is put in his hands. [Read more 🡒]