Which player will be the X-factor for the Jacksonville Jaguarsduring the 2026 NFL season?
ESPN's Ben Solak recently answered that question for all 32 teams. As Solak describes it, an X-factor is a player who can dramatically swing the season with their individual play. Quarterbacks, coaches, and rookies were not taken into consideration for this exercise.
So who was Solak's pick for the Jaguars?
Travis Hunter, of course.
"Hunter is particularly interesting as an X factor corner because he can play the ball and generate turnovers," wrote Solak. "I think he will risk some feast-or-famine play that might need smoothing over in the years to come, but in a zone-heavy approach under coordinator Anthony Campanile, it's reasonable to expect him to quickly
be among the league's best in anticipating combinations and jumping routes."
The assumption is that Hunter will see a heavier workload on defense this season. As Solak mentions, his ball skills and instincts can help create high-impact plays.
Solak adds that Hunter's impact on offense could be "minimal" this season, with Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Biran Thomas Jr. at wide receiver.
"Consider how big of an X factor he'll be if one of the three is lost because of a big injury, and suddenly a first-round talent is coming off the bench to fill some of the snaps," Solak wrote. "It's all still theoretical, but Hunter's potential impact is sky-high."
What may end up happening at wide receiver is that weekly matchups and in-game situations could dictate how many reps Hunter sees on offense from one game to the next.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: ESPN selects Jaguars' X-factor for 2026 NFL season
