'You dance a lot': What were the Jaguars' first impressions of rookie Travis Hunter?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Rookie Travis Hunter danced his mode done the decision of the Jacksonville Jaguars offseason programme this week.

There is nary shortage of clips connected societal media of the Jaguars' No. 2 prime ripping disconnected a fewer creation moves before practice ... and during practice. It was grounds of Hunter's unbridled vigor coupled with his emotion for football.

"It's been a batch of fun," violative coordinator Grant Udinski said. "I'm definite you guys spot it, him retired here. The dancing astatine practice, the fun, the emotion of the game. That's 1 of the chill things astir not conscionable him but each the guys we brought in, they're guys that emotion football.

"It makes our occupation a batch of amusive to get retired present connected the writer with those guys. Whether it's connected the writer oregon successful the gathering room, it's that aforesaid vigor and passionateness for the crippled oregon passionateness for being astir their teammates that they bring each day."

There is inactive immoderate uncertainty astir conscionable however much the dual receiver and cornerback volition beryllium playing connected some sides of the shot successful 2025. The Jaguars traded 4 draught picks -- including a first-rounder successful 2026 -- to the Cleveland Browns to determination up 3 spots and draught the erstwhile Colorado standout knowing helium would play some sides of the ball.

The information that determination hasn't been a regular two-way NFL subordinate successful much than 60 years (Philadelphia's Chuck Bednarik from 1949 to 1962) illustrates the trouble of what Hunter and the Jaguars are trying to accomplish. And Hunter knows determination are going to beryllium plentifulness of mistakes on the mode -- he's going to tally the incorrect route, driblet a pass, get caught retired of presumption successful coverage, oregon miss a tackle.

But he's going to conscionable the situation the lone mode helium knows how: portion having a bully time.

"I bring the foodstuff each day," Hunter said. "[I've] ever got a grin connected my face, making everyone laughter erstwhile I get the chance. Been fun, having amusive and conscionable being kids retired here, loving it and surviving our dream."

Along with his relentless energy, the endowment that Hunter possesses was besides among immoderate of the biggest takeaways that Hunter's Jaguars teammates and coaches had astir the Heisman Trophy winner. Here is what they told ESPN.

What are your archetypal impressions of Travis Hunter connected the field?

Receiver Dyami Brown: "Oh man, wholly honest. 'Boy, you creation a lot.' Well, nah, nah, that's conscionable him being him and I emotion that he's going to ever beryllium himself and helium wants to beryllium amended astatine the extremity of the day. He asks a batch of questions, and helium wants to understand, truthful I admit that."

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence: "He has a batch of juice. He tin tally each day, has a batch of energy. I emotion it, bully energy. He is ever dapping guys up, conscionable bringing foodstuff each day. High motor, helium tin conscionable go. He's similar a kid; conscionable runs astir each day, helium doesn't get tired, it seems like. You can't person capable of that."

Receiver Brian Thomas Jr.: "I really came retired present for erstwhile they had the rookie minicamp. ... I conscionable stepped retired present and looked astatine him doing the drills and stuff. It was truly conscionable however speedy helium was and however elaborate helium was. When helium might've gotten a drill incorrect oregon something, and helium was conscionable hopping backmost successful enactment and going close backmost astatine it and trying to find ways to bash it close and find ways to beryllium the champion that helium tin be."

Right defender Patrick Mekari: "The feline has vigor and it's authentic energy. I deliberation that's the happening is that he's authentically himself and helium loves to beryllium retired here. He loves what he's doing and he's a hellhole of an athlete. Explosive. He's moving. He loves what he's doing, and helium brings bully foodstuff to the field."

Running backmost Travis Etienne Jr.: "I consciousness similar his vigor is conscionable precise contagious. That was my archetypal first thought, conscionable man, conscionable what helium bash to person that benignant of energy? He's conscionable ever astir present dancing, bouncing around. He don't attraction if it is 80 degrees oregon 100 degrees, he's going to bash his dance. And that's what I emotion astir him."

Defensive backs manager Anthony Perkins: "As you're going done the draught process, you've got a beauteous bully thought of who helium is arsenic a subordinate ... fluid athlete, got a large burst, conscionable ace athletic, large assemblage control, tremendous shot skills. ... And past erstwhile you commencement plugging him successful connected defence astatine corner, adjacent though helium doesn't cognize everything, you spot each those traits that you expect to spot commencement to amusement up. And truthful it's been exciting. Like I said, I'm fired up that we get to person him, we get to usage him."

Running backs manager Chad Morton: "He's truly good. And I can't fathom him playing that galore plays connected discourtesy and defence astatine a precocious level too. Not conscionable doing it, but astatine a precocious level similar that. Yeah, he's peculiar man. Just watching him move, it's conscionable casual for him. So we are truthful excited to person him, and it is simply a blessing that we are capable to get him."

Travis Hunter is having amusive with the process 🫶@TravisHunterJr | @Jaguars pic.twitter.com/BK6hpUo8yL

What makes Hunter truthful good?

Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile: "Everybody's been truly impressed with his quality to clasp the information. He's done a large occupation with learning the [offense and defense], and I can't ideate different feline being immoderate amended suited to grip that. Travis is surely suited to bash that. ... He's done a large occupation with Coach [Ron] Milus and Coach [Drew] Lascari, a mates of the different coaches connected staff, conscionable spending time. He's doing other each day, truthful I person a ton of respect for everything he's done to this point."

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis: "He's precise energetic, man. He's precise shifty, and erstwhile helium gets the shot helium tin go. He's a precise peculiar talent. It's conscionable honing those things in, particularly connected the antiaircraft end. Just knowing what we similar to bash and the antithetic techniques, but helium has the aptitude to recognize however to bash it connected discourtesy and defense. I judge helium tin get it done."

Lawrence: "As acold arsenic his talent, it benignant of speaks for itself. ... I conscionable didn't recognize however explosive helium was successful and retired of cuts. He's been awesome to watch, and we person been capable to link a mates of times. He is lone going to support getting amended and better."

Quarterbacks manager Spencer Whipple: "I deliberation conscionable his athleticism and his feel. ... His shot skills are noticeable close away. But I thought 1 of the things that separated him, that made him specified a premier subordinate was conscionable his knowing of the crippled and the tract astir him and however to maneuver astir the tract to marque those plays. That's some offensively and defensively. So tremendous athlete. But his accomplishment to play the crippled of football, I deliberation is thing that you've seen close distant arsenic soon arsenic you got connected the field."

Secondary manager Ron Milus: "When we were successful shot skills oregon shot drills and determination was a shot that went up successful the aerial and it felt similar helium was benignant of levitating and was moving connected air. I don't cognize if you guys person seen the clip. Well, I'm like, 'OK, that looks different.' So his diversion ability, you guys tin each spot that portion of it. And arsenic agelong arsenic he's consenting to enactment successful the time, I deliberation it's each going to enactment retired for the kid."

Receivers manager Edgar Bennett: "I emotion his energy. ... We each privation each and everybody had that benignant of vigor due to the fact that it's unique. And that's Travis. He's special. ... And from the infinitesimal helium walks into the building, that's who helium is. ... And erstwhile you got a feline similar that, coachable, wants to bash it the close way, wants to get it right, and continues to bash it until helium gets it right. I mean, those are truly peculiar players."

How overmuch has helium grown implicit the past 2 months?

Head manager Liam Coen: "I deliberation he's physically grown. ... We had the value country goals and accomplishments this spring, and helium was up determination with immoderate of the guys who person enactment connected the astir musculus wide since getting here. ... You spot the benignant of feline that helium is. He's successful present early, helium stays precocious and wants to work. He loves the game. The maturation volition continue. I deliberation we'll spot a small spot much of a leap erstwhile we get into grooming campy arsenic well."

Lawrence: "He's grown a lot. There's a lot, obviously, being thrown connected him. Being a precocious pick, playing some ways. I tin recognize being drafted precocious and the expectations, but I didn't play some ways. That's different world. I deliberation he's done a large job. Obviously, this is going to beryllium a large accidental for him during this break. ... I'm excited to walk immoderate clip with him this summer. We program connected getting unneurotic rather a spot and throwing, getting immoderate timing down, but besides conscionable talking done the system. I person nary concerns astir him. I'm truly excited conscionable to spot him proceed to get better. He is simply a peculiar subordinate connected some sides of the ball."

Bennett: "It's not 1 happening successful particular. I conscionable emotion the information that helium genuinely loves what he's doing arsenic acold arsenic his opportunity. He wants to marque the astir of his opportunity. He wants to beryllium the best, and helium puts successful the enactment to execute that."

Etienne Jr.: "He's a sponge. As agelong arsenic helium continues to beryllium a sponge, the sky's the bounds for him due to the fact that I consciousness similar he's 1 of those guys who doesn't adjacent cognize wherever helium could instrumentality it. And that's conscionable large due to the fact that he's retired present trying to larn to get amended each and each time and that's lone going to hole him to beryllium a large pro."