Maxx Crosby recently weighed in on lightning-rod rookie Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he may have been speaking for the majority of NFL veterans on the hype surrounding Hunter’s potential as both a cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL.
Hunter’s usage was among the topics for a recent episode of Crosby’s “The Rush” podcast, and the star Las Vegas Raiders EDGE isn’t buying the effectiveness of Hunter playing both ways in the NFL.
“If you just try to dump all the information on him at one time, that just seems unfair to the player, and I don’t think coaches are stupid,” Crosby said. “They’re going to do their best to protect their asset. It’s a business at the end of the day. You have to have him out there for the duration of a full season. So, it will be interesting.”
True to coach Liam Coen’s word after the NFL draft, Hunter has been working primarily on offense in Jacksonville’s offseason program, with some defensive days mixed in. Coen hinted that Hunter could be part of a package of plays on defense, such as clear passing situations like third downs and two-minute drills, to open is pro career. The exact plan, however, remains unclear.
Crosby believes Hunter’s role on defense could be dumbed down.
“Make him lock in on one side,” Crosby said, via Pro Football Network. “‘You’re going to be a starter here, but we’re going to have some packages for you on defense or offense, whatever it is, and just keep it simple. You’re going to go in, these are your plays, boom, know these plays, and go out there.”
How the Jaguars ultimately deploy their new prized asset likely won’t be known until the preseason. Jacksonville’s starting secondary looks pretty solid on paper with Tyson Campbell and Jarrian Jones on the boundaries, and the newly signed Jourdan Lewis in the slot, so Crosby could be on to something here.
Either way, no one should expect anything resembling a full-time role at both wide receiver and cornerback for Hunter right out of the chute in 2025.