Travis Hunter’s second NFL season is beginning to look a lot more like what the Jacksonville Jaguars hoped for when they gambled with a trade up to No. 2 in the 2025 NFL Draft specifically to land him.
On Sunday, Hunter delivered the highest-graded performance of his career in Jacksonville’s 22-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, according to Pro Football Focus.
The second-year corner earned an 86.4 overall grade and an 86.9 coverage grade, both of which ranked third among NFL cornerbacks in Week 4. Hunter allowed just 26 yards on seven targets while recording two pass breakups.
He also had an impressive interception, where he juked Tee Higgins and ran it back for 30 yards, though it was wiped off the board due to a penalty on Arik Armstead.
Yet the league is still taking notice of how good that play from Hunter was, even if it didn't count.
Travis Hunter picks off Joe Burrow and then snatches Tee Higgins' ankles!
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 4, 2026
However, the play was whistled back with a penalty. #NFL pic.twitter.com/lwZfT3s9Ay
Hunter’s performance stands out even more considering who he was up against. Cincinnati entered the matchup with two of the best wide receivers in the league, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. And ahead of the game, Chase was notoriously quiet about Hunter's Year 2 growth, insinuating that he didn't see him as a threat.
Yet according to PFF, Hunter allowed just one catch for six yards while covering Chase before the receiver left the game with a concussion. Hunter was not initially charted with allowing any receptions to Higgins.
Altogether, this has been an impressive start to Hunter’s first full season primarily playing cornerback. Through four games, Hunter has a 76.3 PFF coverage grade, seventh-best among qualified cornerbacks. His 91.1 coverage grade in man coverage ranks second, while opposing quarterbacks have produced just a 58.2 passer rating when targeting him.
Hunter’s rookie season was cut short by a knee injury, and questions lingered entering 2026 about whether Jacksonville could receive enough value from the former No. 2 overall pick if he was no longer going to play a major role on both sides of the ball. So far, his work at cornerback is providing a pretty convincing answer.
Hunter is not merely holding his own as a full-time defender. Four games into the season, he is beginning to establish himself as one of the Jaguars’ most reliable coverage players and one of the best corners in football.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: PFF says Travis Hunter is quickly becoming one of the NFL’s best CBs
