Will Travis Hunter get reps with Jacksonville Jaguars' defense in OTAs this week?

Yahoo

2 days ago

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be back on the field of the Miller Electric Center for organized team activity No. 7 on Monday, June 2.
The team is over the hump and will wrap up the OTA period on June 5 with practice 10.
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A short mandatory minicamp will follow from June 10-12 before the team dismisses the players for summer break. When they return at the end of July, it'll be the start of training camp, and from there the preseason will begin.
That means we're inching closer to the start of the regular season and debut of rookie Travis Hunter.
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Head coach Liam Coen revealed that Hunter spent time on the practice field with Jacksonville's defense during OTA No. 3, getting a chance to apply what he's seen in the classrooms and meetings to the grass.
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Hunter has yet to work with the defense during a media-open practice, but he's spent extra time to work with coaches on both sides of the ball to stay up to speed with his responsibilities.
Offensively, Hunter has shown strides since his start during rookie minicamp. He's still learning, though.
'He's going to have some mistakes, as have a lot of guys. I don't think we've had a complete ton of plays where he's not known what to do,' Coen said after OTA No. 4. 'There may be an instance where he aligns right, runs the route, but maybe is a yard or two short. Things like that, the little details that he'll continue to learn. I think he's about where we would expect, though.'
An area he's visibly grown has been as a route runner. Hunter came in very raw and has improved his form and foot placement as the offseason program continues.
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He's also continued to develop a bond with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence noted how impressed he was with Hunter earlier this offseason. The more reps they have together will be beneficial in the long run.
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Defensively, the team is confident he can quickly apply the information he's taught about coordinator Anthony Campanile's scheme to on-field application.
Still, it'll be interesting to see if Hunter is afforded time with the defense in one of the media availabilities this week. We'll keep an eye on it.
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Here are other things we'll watch during the Jaguars OTAs this week:
Dyami Brown stands out as star of the offseason program so far
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown (5) hauls in a reception during the first organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Monday, May 19, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla.
It sounds silly to say that there's a star in unpadded practices in shorts and jerseys. However, wide receiver Dyami Brown has been an eye catcher for the Jaguars.
The free agent addition was largely viewed as a player with untapped potential. He's shown he can hold his own in a receiver room with standout Brian Thomas Jr. and Hunter.
Brown has impressed through the first half of OTAs with his speed and ability to break off big plays. Even on short crosser routes across the middle, he's ditched his defender and turned on the gas several times.
'He's been really productive throughout this whole camp so far. Showing versatility to do maybe some things that he hadn't put on tape in the past or wasn't asked to do from his skillset standpoint,' Coen said of Brown. 'I thought he was obviously very productive towards the halfway point of last year into the playoffs, and then you see that confidence continuing to go throughout this camp and this offseason.'
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These practices aren't nearly as competitive as the back-and-forth we'll see in training camp, but for Brown to already display an ability to be versatile in Coen's system is a good sign for him.
There was a 50-50 deep ball to him during the fourth OTA where Tyson Campbell was in coverage and it appeared Brown would come down with the pass with one-hand.
He ultimately couldn't reel it in, but forcing the top defender of the Jaguars to fully commit to breaking up a pass was an eye-raiser.
'He's been doing a nice job of being able to run vertically but also being the nuance route runner in some of the daggers and in-cuts and things like that,' Coen continued. 'I thought he's been very locked in this entire time. I've been very impressed with the pro that he is.'
Anthony Campanile gives insight to defensive players dropping weight ahead of season
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) runs drills with Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah (90) during the fourth organized team activity at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Tuesday, May 27, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
The Jaguars are going with a lighter approach this season.
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After most of their defensive players — across all positions — were asked to up their weight last season, the new coaching staff is getting them back down in size.
"I've probably lost like three pounds as of now," defensive end Travon Walker said when meeting with reporters last week.
While he's only dropped three pounds, Walker looks noticeably different than he did at the end of last season. He said he's worked on body composition since returning to the facility earlier in the offseason.
It's not just Walker, either. Several Jaguars look lighter than they did under the previous regime. It's something Campanile gave insight on.
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"I think they would be better to answer that question but I really like the way they look right now," he said when asked how hard it is to play at a different weight. "I think they are really moving well. They have a ton of strength, which you need that. You need strength at the point of attack, you have to play physical."
According to Campanile, the new coaches didn't ask the players to drop weight, or vice versa. It's just something that the players and strength staff kind of came to a consensus on.
Especially since, in his opinion, the players know their body best and know where they should be for their best performance.
"When you're a pro, you usually know when am I at optimal speed? Where am I my strongest, where I'm not losing strength or losing speed?" Campanile said. "I think those guys did a great job with that in the offseason when they were away from here and coming back in great shape.'
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars' Travis Hunter: Defensive reps in OTAs this week?