The anticipated professional football career of Travis Hunter is set to commence in under a fortnight, coinciding with his new role as a parent.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ newest member and his partner, Leanna De La Fuente, recently celebrated the arrival of their firstborn, a son, as revealed in a video shared on Hunter’s personal YouTube channel. While Hunter refrained from disclosing his son’s name or precise birthdate, he is heard remarking that the infant “looks just like me” as the video concludes with the baby’s cries.
Hunter and De La Fuente formalized their relationship in May. Their history dates back to 2022, during Hunter’s tenure at Jackson State under the guidance of Deion Sanders. The couple opted to keep the pregnancy under wraps, choosing instead to surprise their followers with the announcement.
Between the arrival of his son, the wedding celebrations, securing the Heisman Trophy, navigating the draft evaluations, and enduring the rigors of training camp, Hunter’s past year has been exceptionally eventful, even before his inaugural NFL appearance. He recently faced a minor setback due to an upper-body injury sustained during the preseason, but it seems to be a fleeting issue.
Jacksonville Jaguars’ head of operations, James Gladstone, informed the media on Wednesday that Hunter is “progressing at full throttle” leading up to the season opener against the Carolina Panthers on September 7.
Hunter was absent from the Jaguars’ last two preseason games and had limited participation in four practice sessions, as reported by ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. However, Hunter showcased his potential to excel on both offense and defense during Jacksonville’s initial exhibition game, logging a total of 19 plays: 11 on the offensive side and eight on the defensive side.
Gladstone affirmed on Wednesday that the Jaguars still intend to utilize Hunter on both sides of the field against the Panthers, even with his recent restricted workload.
“There has been no alteration to that strategy,” Gladstone stated, according to ESPN. “We anticipate him to perform as we know he is capable, and that is as a player who impacts both offense and defense.”
“We eagerly await witnessing that on Sundays, and one Monday night.”
DiRocco’s report indicated that out of the 364 plays Hunter participated in during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills across the 15 practice sessions he fully engaged in, 188 plays involved him on offense, while 176 saw him on defense. During the training camp period, Jacksonville gradually introduced Hunter to practicing both positions, allowing him dedicated time to thoroughly grasp each playbook before integrating dual-position play in the same day.
The Jaguars are planning to utilize rookie Travis Hunter on both sides of the ball. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
(Logan Bowles via Getty Images)
Liam Coen, the Jaguars’ first-year head coach, appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show” earlier this month, suggesting a potential target of 80% of the Jags’ offensive plays for Hunter on a game-by-game basis this season, with hopes of him mirroring that play count percentage on the defensive side as well.
“We’ve dedicated more attention to the offensive aspect because it demanded a greater level of development,” Coen explained regarding Hunter’s work during camp, as quoted on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “It feels much more innate for him to simply step onto the field and assume the cornerback role. He possesses that capability. Currently, there are numerous checks, a multitude of calls, and a variety of factors that influence that. However, on the offensive side, we believed that a bit more development was necessary, involving a greater volume of ball-related activities – encompassing schemes, terminology, and play calls.”
“His daily schedule is entirely filled, from the moment he arrives until the moment he departs, ensuring that he is consistently engaged in meetings with someone.”
Hunter, standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 185 pounds, is coming off an outstanding final season at Colorado, where he participated in 753 plays on offense, 776 plays on defense, and an additional 23 plays on special teams in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. He recorded 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, alongside one rushing touchdown. As a cornerback, he intercepted four passes and notably forced a fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor.
Hunter’s sole preseason appearance occurred during a 31-25 defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He commenced the game on offense and participated with the Jaguars’ second-string defense. He executed seven routes on Jacksonville’s opening drive, including a short option route that resulted in a successful third-down reception. Despite falling short of the first down marker, this reception marked the first of three short catches he made, with the second being a screen pass that was nullified due to a penalty and the third being another third-down connection that failed to reach the first down marker.
His two receptions against the Steelers totaled a mere 9 yards, but his usage was noteworthy. His status in the subsequent two exhibition games was also notable, although Gladstone alleviated concerns regarding Hunter’s availability for the regular season on Wednesday.
Hunter exhibited remarkable potential as a college player and is considered a unique NFL prospect. He now stands as a captivating rookie, prepared to officially initiate one of the league’s most compelling experiments to date, in addition to embracing his role as a father.
