After tons of hype and speculation, Travis Hunter finally made his debut in an NFL uniform on Saturday.
Hunter played on both offense and defense as the Jaguars hosted the Steelers, and he had individual plays on each side of the ball we can digest and break down.
The 22-year-old is the most-hyped NFL prospect in years. The No. 2 pick from the 2025 NFL draft is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and, in 2024, won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver and the Bednarik Award as the country’s best defender. He is truly a remarkable talent that is outstanding at both wide receiver and cornerback.
So how did he do in his first NFL action? We’ve broken it down for you.
The Jaguars opened the game with the ball, and Hunter started the opening series at wide receiver. On a 12-play, 44-yard drive that resulted in a field goal, the rookie had two receptions for nine yards. He was on the field for 10 of the team’s 11 offensive snaps during the drive. The first-team offense came out after that drive, and Hunter sat with them.
It’s worth noting, Hunter had another 7-yard reception wiped out by a penalty.
Second catch, gain of 7, nice use of his blockers pic.twitter.com/fpvo35ogyV
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) August 9, 2025
On defense, Hunter played eight snaps with Jacksonville’s second-team defense. He played one series and it was a bit up and down.
Hunter wasn’t targeted in any of the eight snaps he played at cornerback, but he did miss a tackle on a running play. Video is below.
Hunter misses an open field tackle on defense.
Still looking good on defense so far outside of this play. pic.twitter.com/qQD3kSBiWV— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) August 9, 2025
While 18 snaps aren’t enough to evaluate Hunter fully, the missed tackle tilts the pendulum to his offensive performance as the better showing.
Hunter made his debut and looked like he belonged. He made a few short catches, then played as a second-team cornerback. He had a missed tackle, which is genuinely a concern some have for his ability in run prevention, but there was nothing alarming about it.
The Jaguars are likely to bump Hunter’s reps over the next few weeks, so it will take time to properly evaluate where he stands as an NFL player as a rookie.
Saturday was just the first step in his journey.
