For years, the Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled to command national attention, let alone bring home a Super Bowl. But with the arrival of Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, hope is beginning to take shape in Duval County.
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And there’s good reason for that hope. Hunter, who made history at Colorado playing both wide receiver and cornerback at an elite level, isn’t just another rookie. He’s one of the most electrifying college football talents in recent memory — and perhaps, Jacksonville’s most promising beacon in decades.
So when he scheduled his first-ever fan meet-and-greet in the city, Jaguars fans showed up ready to embrace their new star.
Hosted at Dick’s Sporting Goods in St. Johns Town Center, the June 18th event was backed by the Hey Dude brand and featured a tailgate-style experience. The event featured games, giveaways, and even a cameo by team mascot Jaxson de Ville.
But the main draw, of course, was Travis Hunter himself, who took time to connect personally with every fan he could, especially the youngest ones.
Shaking hands, posing for pictures, and hearing stories from a few about church sightings and backyard fishing, Hunter was all in on the interaction. And among the most notable moments was a young fan gifting him worm baits, saying, “I know you be fishing a lot…” to which Hunter beamed and responded, “That’s my dawg. Give me some.”
After posing with his idol, the child then cutely brought up spotting Hunter at church. “You see me?” the former Colorado star then asked with a grin. “What was the word?” The kid didn’t miss a beat: “G-O-D. God.” “Okay, give me some,” Hunter replied, visibly impressed by the moment.
But as wholesome as the interactions were, they didn’t come without a laugh. At one point, after meeting fan after fan and dapping up a nonstop stream of hands, Hunter turned to the camera with a wide smile and said: “I need the max hand sanitizer after this, boy. [I met] so many people [out here].”
But that didn’t stop him from continuing to make each interaction meaningful. One child, eager to bond over hobbies, asked Hunter to teach him how to fish. “You don’t know how to fish? You need help,” Hunter asked, smiling. “Yessir… I got you,” he added, hesitating, but clearly flattered.
While the organizers and sponsors may have envisaged it as a promotional event, the interactions made it feel like more than that. It was a symbolic welcome, which is why, in a city still chasing postseason glory, Travis Hunter already feels like a hometown hero.
So if his on-field performance even slightly mirrors the way he handled his first public event, the Jaguars might have more than just a star. They might have a culture-changer with the makings of the new poster boy for Jacksonville’s sporting landscape.
