Travis Hunter is growing into his role on defense for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former No. 2 overall pick has started the 2026 NFL season with a bang after recording his first career interception against the New England Patriots in Week 3. Hunter has grown into his role on defense this seasonGettyAlthough he has just that one pick on the season, after his interception against the Cincinnati Bengals did not stand due to his teammate’s interference penalty, Hunter has been far more influential on the Jags defense than the stat line would suggest.Through the first four weeks of the season, Jacksonville’s defense has allowed just 13.3 points per game – the second-best figure in the league behind only the Minnesota Vikings (13.3 points per game). The young cornerback has certainly played his role in that with 13 tackles (nine solo) thus far. But Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun believes there is so much more to come from his ‘special’ teammate. “It’s really cool because you know how much talent he has as just a football player,” Oluokun said in an exclusive interview with talkSPORT. “The ball in his hands, he’s going to be special. Covering guys, he’s going to be special. So, on defense, a lot of times it’s knowing what the offense does. “It’s a lot of kind of studying playbook. It’s more reactionary instead of go out and do. So, it’s just being in the right spots, understanding the right checks and stuff that we have to with offense looks at. “It’s kind of just understanding where he’s he fits in each puzzle piece and each scheme and understanding like ‘my job may change depending on something else’,” Oluokun continued. “So, the more he gets that mental part of the game, you’re going to see his physical traits start showing up which you keep seeing in the weeks coming up. “The sky‘s the limit for him. We have a lot of confidence in him, but it’s really cool to see him start taking it over like that.”Jags linebacker Foye Oluokun has tons of praise for his young teammate despite the slow start to his NFL careerGettyHunter recorded his first ever NFL interception against the Patriots in Week 3GettyHunter tipped to receive more offensive repsWhat appealed to teams about Hunter during the draft process was his elite two-way ability. During his two-year collegiate career at Colorado, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner had 153 receptions as a wide receiver, which he turned into 1,979 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. On defense, he also had 47 tackles, three tackles for loss, seven interceptions and a forced fumble. This convinced the Jags so much that they traded up to land him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft, parting ways with the No. 5 and No. 36 picks in 2025, as well as a 2026 first-rounder, to the Cleveland Browns.In his rookie season, which ended early due to a knee injury, Hunter played 324 offensive snaps and 162 defensive snaps in seven outings. But entering Year 2 in the NFL, it appeared as though the Jaguars would be turning him into a full-time cornerback in a deep wide receiver room with the likes of Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers.Hunter almost had his second pick against the Bengals but a flag ruled the play outGettyIn 2026, Hunter has been on the field for 74 percent of defensive snaps, compared to just six percent on the offense. In the win over the Bengals, he didn’t take to the field for a single snap on offense. However, head coach Liam Coen recently opened up on how they plan to integrate their dual-threat more into their offensive scheme as the 2026 season continues to unfold. “Look at the last two weeks, what he’s been able to do while we stay firm on the plan,” Coen said ahead of the Week 5 clash against the Philadelphia Eagles in London, England. “And so, will it come? Absolutely.”