The Carolina Panthers are preparing to face rookie Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, as he makes his NFL debut for the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. The Jaguars have indicated that Hunter will play on both offense and defense, making it difficult for opponents to predict how he will be used.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Hunter’s role. “I don’t know what they’re going to do with him,” Canales said Wednesday. “I don’t know, you know how they’re going to use him in different ways; as a traditional wide receiver, is there gonna be gadgets that come out of that? Defensively as well, playing, is he just going to play the corner spot? Is he going to return punts for them?”
Hunter had an impressive final college season at Colorado, ranking among national leaders in receiving yards and touchdowns while also excelling on defense with four interceptions and 15 passes defended.
Canales emphasized that despite Hunter’s unique abilities, the Panthers’ approach remains consistent. “There’s all these question marks about, you know, a really talented player like Travis Hunter,” Canales said. “But for us, it’s really about assignment football. Regardless of who’s out there—he’s a phenomenal player, we’ve played against unbelievable players just throughout the course of time, so you really just have to approach it the same way. It starts with us knowing how to line up, knowing how to communicate and execute.”
To prepare for Hunter’s unpredictability, Carolina is relying on college game film and insights from players who have faced or played alongside him before joining the NFL. Rookie receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., who was teammates with Hunter at Colorado, noted there has been little banter leading up to Sunday’s game: “Travis really ain’t too much of a guy to go back and forth with you about something, likes to handle business.”
Another Panthers rookie receiver familiar with Hunter is Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan faced off against Hunter twice in college games between Arizona and Colorado; each won one matchup apiece.
Recalling their 2023 encounter when McMillan caught nine passes for 107 yards and a touchdown against Colorado—and drew a defensive pass interference flag on Hunter—McMillan described one key play: “It was a run play,” McMillan said Wednesday while reviewing old footage. “(Fifita) checked out of it before this. It was a huge play that got us, I think, inside the 10-yard line. I mean, it was supposed to be (the rushers) touchdown, but he was mad,” laughed McMillan.
“But he just gave me the fade….he put it in a perfect spot for me, only I can get it.”
McMillan pointed out an advantage held by two-way players like Hunter: “I feel like what people don’t realize is that playing both sides is like a study guide for the players you go up against,” McMillan explained. “Him playing both DB and receiver, he knows how the DB is going to play and how the receiver is going to play. So I feel like he has that advantage of knowing how to play both sides of the ball.
“For me all I can do is just do what I know best… stick to fundamentals…don’t try too much…it’s OK to make easy plays.”
Nickel defensive back Chau Smith-Wade echoed similar sentiments regarding technique being crucial when facing such versatile talent: “Honestly he’s a two-way player…we’re going go out there line up…Technique travels so that’s what we’re honing in on right now technique on him,” Smith-Wade promised.
“It doesn’t matter who’s out there…we’re looking at schemes…you can’t beat fundamentals of football; angles timing spaces so whoever’s out there I’m going go off fundamentals…and we’re going go from there.”
