“He’s Gonna Stick to One Side”: Julian Edelman Doesn’t Read Too Much Into Travis Hunter’s Balanced Snap Count in Camp

Even before the 2025 NFL Draft, Travis Hunter made it clear he planned to play both sides in the NFL. It’s an idea he has never backed down from, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are obliging by letting him take reps both ways at training camp. But former wideout Julian Edelman isn’t reading too much into it.

It’s clear the Jags are on board with experimenting with Hunter on both offense and defense. So far, in his 83 total snaps in camp, 36 have been on offense and 47 on defense. That’s a pretty balanced workload as the Heisman Trophy winner works to get his legs under him. However, Edelman has another theory.

Edelman knows Hunter is talented, but he can’t see anyone playing both offense and defense in the NFL the way Hunter did in college. That’s why he believes the Jags are simply figuring out how to best use the sensation.

“I think they’re still trying to figure out what he’s best at. That’s what training camp is for. They’re going to throw him out there as much as they can. They’re going to see what his load management type is and how his body takes it. And ultimately, they’re going to see what’s best for the team,” Edelman said on Dudes on Dudes. 

It’s most likely what the team is doing as of now. Although their GM, James Gladstone, went on a long monologue when introducing Hunter to the team about how they don’t want to hold him back from anything. So, it’s possible that, given his draft capital, he could end up getting his way and playing more than we think.

But Edelman isn’t on board with that idea. He believes Hunter will eventually have to choose a side and stick to it.

“I think it’s going to continue, but then I think he’s gonna stick to one side and have packages on the other. I don’t think he’ll play the whole game on both sides. I don’t think his body will be able to sustain it,” Edelman concluded.

It’s perhaps the biggest fear that all scouts had for Hunter. He isn’t the biggest prospect in the world size-wise, and he’s going to be demanding a lot out of his body. Not to mention the mental preparation he’ll have to do when memorizing both the offensive and defensive playbook. 

When Edelman kicked it to his partner, Rob Gronkowski, to share his thoughts on the matter, he agreed with his former teammate. But he also didn’t want to put too many limitations on Hunter.

“In the end, I really do think what he’s really better at, he’ll be there full-time. And then what he’s not so good at or not so good as… then he’ll have packages put in for him. Which I think would be the best scenario for his long-term well-being in the NFL,” Gronkowski stated.

All in all, both former players shared some solid insights. While it’s fun to imagine Hunter playing both sides of the ball as much as he did at Colorado, it’s a bit of a pipe dream. The more realistic scenario would be him excelling at either offense or defense, then filling in occasionally on the other side.

Yet, Hunter is really good at just about everything on a football field, and it’s going to be hard to fit him into a box. That’s why guys like Gronk and Gladstone don’t want to hold him back at this stage in his career… because he could end up being a never-before-seen freak on the gridiron.