Travis Hunter Fans Line Up Outside Miller Electric Center as Mandatory Minicamp Opens to the Public

Travis Hunter hasn’t played a snap in the NFL yet, but the hype around the Jaguars’ rookie sensation is already in full swing.

When Jacksonville opened its doors to fans on Wednesday morning for the lone open session of this year’s mandatory minicamp, fans began lining up well before sunrise at the Miller Electric Center. But why so early? What’s the buzz?

It’s Travis Hunter, of course, whom the team acquired by trading up and giving up a lot of draft capital. Fans are very eager to catch a glimpse of the No. 2 pick in action. As News4JAX reporter Aaron Farrar described it live from the scene: “Gates open in less than an hour, and people have been here waiting for those to open for close to two hours already. We see close to 50 people out in line.”

Despite the early hour, the crowd was full of energy. “People decked out in their Jags gear… You can see the tents being set up, fans going through security,” Farrar noted. “A lot of excitement and a lot of preparation that goes into something like this.”

Farrar then asked one fan, “What are you hoping to see and experience at the minicamp today?” And the response was immediate.

“To see how Travis does,” the fan said. “Because the excitement’s built up around him. I think I’m like everybody else. We’re excited to see how he does on both offense and defense.”

Another fan chimed in with a more specific wish: “I want to see BTJ [Brian Thomas Jr.] going up against Hunter. Back and forth. Iron sharpening iron. Just seeing them get better with each other.”

Hunter, who wore a white jersey during Tuesday’s practice, got snaps at cornerback—a reminder of his elite two-way ability that helped him win the Heisman at Colorado last season. It’s also a hint at where he may play more in the NFL.

“He played cornerback [today], which is not a surprise because he’s known to be a two-way player,” Farrar explained. “Now it’s a matter of seeing how much time he’ll get with the defense.”

While much of the buzz centered on Hunter, Farrar also pointed out that fans would get to see a healthy mix of the team’s talent, including Trevor Lawrence, cornerback Jarrian Jones, and others.

“This is the only practice open to the public,” he said. “Tomorrow wraps up mandatory minicamp. It’s the last time the full team’s together for on-field work until training camp starts in late July.”

But make no mistake: Wednesday morning belonged to Travis Hunter, because even before he’s taken a meaningful snap, he’s already a magnet for excitement in Duval. And rightly so — two-way stars like Hunter are a rarity in football.