JACKSONVILLE – He feels good about his team.
That has been the case for Travis Hunter in the big picture since being selected by the Jaguars 18 months ago, and it remains true in the short term as the Jaguars prepare to play the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium Sunday.
The bye week is in the rearview. And Hunter said the Jaguars are moving forward.
"We're just really excited to be back," he said.
Hunter, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, joined senior writer John Oehser for this 2026 Week 8 O-Zone Podcast. He discussed multiple topics – including why he likes the physical part of football, and how he approaches those who doubt his ability to play both wide receiver and cornerback at a high level professionally.
The last part has to do with outsiders and doubters, which he said he long ago learned how to handle.
"I'm really just numb to it," Hunter said. "A lot of people don't want to see anything different happen. They always have an opinion on something. If they're not being positive, I'm not listening to it. If they're being negative, if they don't want to see somebody win, it just goes in one ear and out the other."
Hunter, who in the Jaguars' last game – a 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans – became the first NFL player since 2002 to score an offensive touchdown and record an interception in the same game, also discussed why he liked his fit with the Jaguars immediately upon being drafted.
"It just feels like home," he said. "Everything just feels right for me. I just feel like I could talk to the coaches whenever I need to. They check up on me, make sure everything is going well. They just put me in the best positions possible. So, it really fits well for me."
Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner for the University of Colorado, in recent weeks increasingly has shown a physical side of his game. He delivered a hard highlight hit defensively in a Week 4 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, with Jaguars Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski this week lauding Hunter's willingness and effectiveness as a blocker.
"I'm competitive in anything I do," he said. "Those guys go out there and block for me, so why not go out there and block for them? I like to see my teammates make plays and see them get in the end zone. I like to see all that.
"I don't want to be the only one out there making plays. I like to see them make plays, too. Whatever I can do to help them make plays and help the team win, I'm willing to do it.
"That's just how I play. Play fast, physical and just compete."
