For the majority of NFL players, OTAs and training camp are nothing more than a necessary evil. They may not be fun to endure, but they are the baseline requirements to starting the regular season off on the right foot.
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For the league’s premier rookie to date, Travis Hunter, however, training camp simply isn’t enough to prepare for what lies ahead. Prior to the Jacksonville Jaguars hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first preseason game of the year, Hunter took it upon himself to show up on an off day to put in some extra work.
The 22-year-old self-proclaimed “unicorn” eased into the workout session with some coordination drills before transitioning to his resistance training. Explosiveness, technique, and control all appeared to be the main focuses for the day.
Travis Hunter hits the gym extra hard before first game as a Jaguarhttps://t.co/3I2xWFzy3M
— Nidhi (@Nidhi7508521432) August 4, 2025
From there, he made his way outside and onto the field, where the same principles were applied to his receiving work. For those who are still curious as to what his primary position will be, should he have one, it seems as if Hunter is prioritizing his pass catching and route running skills for now, so it appears as if he’ll be more wide receiver than not come kick off time.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Pittsburgh Steelers Preseason Preview
Even though Hunter figures to have one of the most highly anticipated professional debuts in recent history, the oddsmakers over in Las Vegas are still favoring Mike Tomlin and the Steelers to walk away with the victory. Pittsburgh is currently listed as a slight -1.5-point betting favorite, sporting -115 odds on the money line.
The comeback on Jacksonville is currently -105, so bettors will be hard pressed for plus money odds this weekend. However, recent trends are indicating an upset may be in the cards.
Since 2015, preseason underdogs with a point spread in the range of +1 to +3 have covered at a 60% rate, so the Jaguars find themselves in a bit of a favorable spot. Nevertheless, history and track records are siding with the Steelers.
Tomlin has managed to amass a 36-27-1 record against the spread throughout his 18 years in Pittsburgh, with his best showings coming in Week 1 of the preseason. He’s 10-6-1 against the number in this specific scenario, hinting at the fact that there are very few play callers who are as capable of preparing their team as Tomlin.
Jacksonville managed to produce a perfect 3-0 preseason record in 2024, but the last time they faced the Steelers in the preseason, which occurred back in 2022, it was Pittsburgh who walked away with a narrow one-point victory. Suffice to say, it’s a coin-toss matchup if there ever was one.
