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Liam Coen revealed the Jaguars are still planning using Travis Hunter on both sides of the ball in 2026

The Jacksonville Jaguars are fresh off what they are hoping was a breakout campaign in 2025. Under first-year head coach Liam Coen‘s lead, the Jags finished with a 13-4 record, which helped them win the AFC South division. A tough wild-card round matchup against the Buffalo Bills doomed the Jaguars, though, and they ended up getting quickly eliminated from the postseason.

There are several reasons for encouragement moving forward in Jacksonville, with one of them being Travis Hunter. While he didn’t make much of an impact in seven games before suffering a torn LCL, which ended his season prematurely, there’s reason to believe Hunter is only scratching the surface of his potential, especially when taking a closer look at Coen’s latest comments on the two-way phenom.

Liam Coen Reveals Which Position Travis Hunter Will Play in 2026

Hunter turned himself into a star prospect while with the Colorado Buffaloes in college, thanks to his ability to play at a high level at both the wide receiver and cornerback positions. Many evaluators believed Hunter would eventually be forced to pick one position, but Jacksonville, after trading up in the 2025 NFL Draft to select him with the No. 2 overall pick, used him at both spots as a rookie.

The results for Hunter were largely incomplete, although that was primarily due to his aforementioned injury situation. Hunter caught 28 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown on offense, while also racking up 15 tackles and three pass breakups on defense. After he suffered a season-ending injury, though, many folks figured the team would simply use him in one spot moving forward.

By playing as many snaps as he does, Hunter obviously has a greater chance of getting injured, but he’s remained adamant that he can play a full season on both offense and defense. For the time being at least, the Jaguars plan to keep using Hunter in his unique role, as Coen recently confirmed he will play both offense and defense in 2026.

“The plan has not changed at all. He’s gonna play both sides of the football, just as we drafted him to do,” Coen said recently when asked about Hunter’s position for the 2026 season.

Jaguars May Have to Make Tough Decision on Travis Hunter Soon

GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 28: Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up before the NFL 2025 game between Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

It’s still early in his career, so there isn’t really any harm in letting Hunter play on both sides of the football in 2026. Considering the high draft pick the Jaguars used on Hunter, though, they are going to want him to become a consistent contributor at some point in the near future, and if he can’t find a way to stay on the field, that’s going to cause some problems for the team moving forward.

Hunter should have a big role on both sides of the ball, although it is worth noting that Jacksonville likely is going to be cautious with him as he recovers from his aforementioned injury. It may only be his second year in the league, but it’s looking like this will be an important season for Hunter in his quest to continue playing on both sides of the ball, even though Coen has come out and publicly supported him with his latest comments.