DeAngelo Hall believes Travis Hunter has the skill set to be an elite cornerback, and he thinks a full-time focus on defense could bring out the best of his game. With Hunter trending toward being back for training camp, Hall’s comments add a fresh layer to the debate over how the Jacksonville Jaguars should use him.
The Jaguars traded up to select Hunter second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft after he came off a season at Colorado, and they expected him to play both sides of the ball. That plan was part of the attraction. But after a rookie campaign that started slowly and ended with a season-ending injury, the conversation has shifted toward whether his long-term value might be clearest at cornerback.
Hall sees takeaway potential at corner
Hall, who made his name as a former NFL cornerback, said Hunter’s ball skills stood out even before he reached the NFL. “I know some guy who coached him at Colorado, and they'd always call me to say, 'This guy has some of the best ball skills I've ever seen.' You saw that when he played receiver, and you even saw it sometimes when he was playing DB,” Hall said.
That is the sort of endorsement that matters because it speaks directly to the hardest part of playing cornerback at a high level. Hall is not just talking about athleticism. He is talking about instincts, timing and the ability to turn coverage into takeaways.
“That's the fear factor Travis Hunter has at cornerback because he can definitely create takeaways,” Hall added. “I'm looking forward to watching Hunter play through a healthy season where he doesn't have to go back and forth between positions a lot.”
Why the position debate matters
For the Jaguars, the issue is not whether Hunter can help. It is how to get the most out of him over the course of a full season. A two-way plan is ambitious, but it also asks a lot physically, especially for a young player coming off injury.
Hall’s view is simple: if Hunter is allowed to concentrate on cornerback, his ability to read the ball and make plays on it could turn him into a genuine difference-maker. In a league where turnovers can change games quickly, that kind of trait carries obvious value.
The Jaguars still have decisions to make about how they balance Hunter’s usage once training camp arrives, but Hall’s backing gives the full-time cornerback argument real credibility. After a rocky rookie year, the next stage of Hunter’s development may be less about splitting his time and more about finding out just how high his defensive ceiling really is.
