Latest news with #Jaguars'
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaguars' Travis Hunter is fitting in just fine in Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Jaguars' unicorn, Travis Hunter, seems to be on his way to seamlessly make the transition from collegiate amateur to NFL superstar. Hunter has yet to even take a snap, and yet his impact has already been felt both on the practice field and all over Duval County. Just this week, Hunter went viral yet again for an insane interception at the Jaguars' OTAs, but how is Hunter handling the transition to the NFL? Advertisement Action Sports Jax's Brent Martineau sat down with Hunter and discussed what it's been like for him since being drafted and what life is like inside the building. When asked that very question, Hunter replied, 'It's going great, it's a dream come true, and just happy to be out here with the guys, just being goofy and being myself.' 'I'm enjoying being a Jag, just being here, being able to play and being in the league, living my dream like I said before,' Hunter said. For some, the pressure might be too much. The day Hunter was drafted, he instantly became the franchise's most popular player ever. For many, that pressure can be overwhelming, but for Hunter, it almost seems natural. Advertisement He's just focused on football and being the very best player he can be for Head Coach Liam Coen and the rest of the coaching staff. Speaking of Coen, Hunter said he's picking things up quickly in Coen's playbook. 'The playbook is of course harder here, but I just go about it the same way, do what I have to do to be on the football field and playing fast,' Hunter said. Hunter went on to say that he's a perfect fit for Coen's offense. 'I fit perfectly. One of the guys, going to get the ball in the right spot and do my job,' Hunter said. Even so, Hunter doesn't want to set goals for himself just yet and knows he needs to be patient with himself. Success isn't instant gratification; it takes time and effort, and he knows that. Advertisement Martineau asked about Hunter's patience, to which he replied, 'Yeah, a little bit, gotta be patient. Coaches understand they are putting a lot on our plate right now, but as a player, you want to do everything right, you want to make sure you do everything right.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Luckily, it seems Hunter is fitting right in with his teammates inside the building and is already forming a bond with Jaguars' star receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. The two, combined, could form what is one of, if not the best, young receiver duos in the NFL. When asked what stands out about Thomas, Hunter said, 'His work ethic. He's going to do exactly what coach wants but he's also going to make a play every time the ball comes to him.' Advertisement [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Together with Thomas and Coen, the Jaguars have laid the groundwork for a much-improved, explosive offense this season. It's up to quarterback Trevor Lawrence and company to take advantage of the new offensive toys and get to work. When the games come, Hunter knows his team will be ready. 'You are going to see a group of guys that love the sport and group of guys that will work hard for each other, not just for themself for the rest of the guys on the team,' he said. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Beyond the Smile:' Travis Hunter scoring points in Duval before taking his first snap with the Jags
From the moment the card was sent in, selecting Travis Hunter with the second overall pick, Hunter instantly became the Jaguars most popular player in franchise history. Since his breakout junior season at Collins Hill High School, Hunter has been among the most discussed players at his respective level, if not the most. Advertisement A state champion, five-star recruit, Heisman winner, and the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Hunter's lived much of his recent years in the starlight, surrounded by both success and attention. Everywhere Hunter has gone, both success and attention have seemed to follow suit. Hunter's 2.1 million Instagram followers are by far the most on the Jaguars' roster and rival some of the league's biggest stars. >>> STREAM ACTION SPORTS JAX 24/7 LIVE << >> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< JACKSONVILLE, FL - APRIL 25: (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Photo: Jacksonville Jaguars Travis Hunter practices on day 2 of Rookie Minicamp JACKSONVILLE, FL - APRIL 25: (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Wide Receiver/Cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected second overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguar during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by) GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Wide Receiver/Cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado speaks with media after being selected second overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by) GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Wide Receiver/Cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado celebrates after being selected second overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by) BOULDER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 29: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field on November 29, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by) BOULDER, CO - APRIL 19: Former Colorado Buffaloes player Travis Hunter takes a selfie with fans after the Black and Gold Spring Game at Folsom Field on April 19, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo byfor ONIT) BOULDER, COLORADO - AUGUST 29: Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes and Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes on the sideline during a game against North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by) NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 14: Travis Hunter University of Colorado cornerback/wide receiver poses with the Trophy during the Heisman Trophy press conference at the Marriott Marquis on December 14, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Josh Hines-Allen shares early impressions of Anthony Campanile and new Jaguars' defense
Josh Hines-Allen shares early impressions of Anthony Campanile and new Jaguars' defense After Monday's OTA practice, DE Josh Hines-Allen shared his early impressions of Anthony Campanile and the Jaguars' new defense. When Emmanuel Ogbah described what it is like playing for new Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, a few of the traits he mentioned were his "energy" and "toughness." For Josh Hines-Allen, it's Campanile's love and passion for the game and his players that stick out. "Coach Camp has been awesome," Hines-Allen said after Monday's practice. "You step in that meeting room, you're going to expect one thing, it's the passion, it's the love. It's the love of the game he has. Calais (Campbell) always told me, if you want to be great at something, you gotta love it, you gotta respect it. And so for me, he respects the game, he loves it, he loves the team, he loves the players that are playing for him." Under Campanile, this is going to be a more malleable defensive scheme, meaning that it will be quick to adjust on a week-to-week basis, and in-game, depending on what the opponent is doing. Like any play-caller, Campanile has his core principles that his system is built around, but he will mold the scheme to what his players do well and the skill sets he has on the roster to work with. In the secondary, Campanile discussed recently the importance of versatility, which can help disguise coverages and keep quarterbacks guessing. While up front, Maason Smith highlighted the attacking play style that the defense line is asked to play with in this system. Of course, the scheme, the implementation of it, and the execution on the field all matters immensely. But also at the top of the priority list for Campanile is making sure this Jaguars' defense has a "tough, fast, physical, and violent at the point of attack" play style. With Campanile leading the way, the defenders that were already on the roster, and the additions made this offseason, the Jaguars are a team that appears to be on the right path. However, as Campanile says, and as Hines-Allen reiterated, "talk is cheap." Improved play on defense begins with what the Jaguars are doing right now in practice and the foundation they are laying. "It starts right now," said Hines-Allen. "Coach Camp has a saying, talk is cheap. We can talk about how good we're going to be or how legendary our defense or individual players can be, it's all about the work we put in every day. The communication that we have in the red zone, backed up situations, playing good situational football. Knowing what everybody has to do, being in the right place, and it starts out here. "If we can stack great days out here, if we can keep doing it, and then we put the pads on, and we can continue to be physical up front, linebackers flying downhill, DBs staying in the backfield because we don't kneed them because we're stopping the run up front, and we got pass rushers up front. It's all about that trust."
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jacksonville Jaguars' DE Josh Hines-Allen on changes made after 2024 season
Jacksonville Jaguars' DE Josh Hines-Allen on changes made after 2024 season Following Monday's OTA practice, Jaguars' DE Josh Hines-Allen discussed some of the changes made after the 2024 season. Along with implementing a new defensive scheme, another change for Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive end Josh Hines-Allen this season is that he will be playing at a lighter weight. Following Monday's practice, Hines-Allen didn't get into specifics about what his current weight is, but the 285 pounds he played at in 2024 was too big. "I was 285," Hines-Allen said of his playing weight last season. "I was much bigger. My mindset was always to be as dominant but it was, obviously, holding a little bit more weight puts a little more wear and tear on the body. "It was a lot. Too much. Again, learned to adapt, have know what works best for you, something I tried, and something I'm like, alright, probably don't want to do that again. So we're working on maintaining a good goal for me this year and put some good tape out there." It's not only Hines-Allen who has dropped weight this offseason, but several other Jaguars' defenders have as well, after that side of the ball put on weight last season under former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. 'Just kind of getting some of those guys back to their natural playing weight. Just kind of where they've maybe been in years past of having success and kind of getting back to that is really what it came down to," Liam Coen said this week, via Jaguars on SI. Last season, Hines-Allen was still among the NFL's more productive defensive ends. His 63 quarterback pressures were the 10th-most in football among his position group, and he ranked 16th in PFF's pass rush win rate as well. But compared to his 2023 season, Hines-Allen's production took a big dip last season. By PFF's metrics, Hines-Allen totaled 90 pressures and 19 sacks in 2023, ranking in the top five in both categories. Allen would play 821 snaps last season and make 16 starts. However, throughout the year, his body felt more "banged up," and while he doesn't know if that was directly attributed to his playing weight, it is something he took into consideration as he planned out this offseason. "I was also getting banged up a lot more," Hines-Allen added. "My body was not cooperating as much as I wanted it to. But I take care of my body to the utmost, but it was a little bit different. I don't know if that had something to do with the weight, so that's something I took into consideration coming into this year." Feeling good and now in a defensive scheme under Anthony Campanile, where as Maason Smith described, the defensive front can play "a lot more free," Hines-Allen is chasing big goals in 2025. "To break the sack record," said Hines-Allen when asked what his goals were. "Be an All-Pro and win Defensive Player of the Year."
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jaguars' Arik Armstead discusses moving back to defensive tackle for 2025 season
Jaguars' Arik Armstead discusses moving back to defensive tackle for 2025 season Appearing on the O-Zone Podcast, Jaguars' Arik Armstead discussed moving back to defensive tackle for the 2025 season. Jacksonville Jaguars' veteran defensive lineman Arik Armstead will be moving back to defensive tackle this season, a position where he has experience and is quite comfortable. "I think that's where I'm best," Armstead said of the tackle position while appearing on the O-Zone Podcast. "I've played both in my career and had success at both, but I can have the biggest effect on the quarterback playing and rushing against guards and centers. That's what I do best." The 2024 season was Armstead's first with the Jaguars after signing with the team as a free agent, and he was asked to make the switch from defensive tackle to defensive end. During his tenure with San Francisco, which spanned from 2015 through 2023, Armstead played defensive end early on in his career, but since the 2021 season, the majority of his snaps had come at tackle. So, along with joining a new team and navigating a new defensive scheme last season, Armstead was also back at a relatively new position as well. Amrstead went from producing 58 pressures and eight sacks in 2023, to only 36 pressures and two sacks in 2024, per PFF. He went from ranking ninth among defensive tackles in pass rush win rate in 2023 to ranking 32nd among edge defenders in 2024. "When I'm playing defensive tackle full-time, now I have more opportunities to affect the game on first, second and third down," he said. "I'll have more opportunities to have a big impact on the game." The defensive tackle position was thought to be one of the Jaguars' biggest needs this offseason, but GM James Gladstone didn't address this unit during free agency or in the NFL draft. This showcases the confidence he has in the players on the roster and Anthony Campanile's scheme to elevate that unit, but also a likely part of that equation is Armstead being back inside. "We certainly look forward to seeing guys being in different positions than they've been in the past and that being an element that activates different sides of them," Gladstone said after the NFL draft. "Their whole approach has been great so far, so we're looking forward to it." There may still be instances where we see Armstead at defensive end. Movement along the defensive front is an element that's a part of Campanile's defense. But for the most part, Armstead is going to be back at defensive tackle, where he's had some of his most productive seasons in his career. "I think we're on the forefront of a promising season," Armstead said. "There's a lot of newness, which I think is great. There are a lot of first-timers – a first-time head coach, a first-time general manager, a first-time defensive coordinator. With the first-timers, they bring a refreshed energy. You know they want to get it right. "They're doing everything they can to make sure we're heading in the direction we need to be."
