“Coach Prime Is Responsible for Travis Hunter”: Jaguars Slammed for Ignoring Deion Sanders By NFL Legend

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved up in the 2025 Draft to pick Travis Hunter second overall. They did that because he was a two-way weapon. Not only was he a corner, but he could also tilt games at receiver, something he did for Colorado under Deion Sanders.

On Say What Needs To Be Said recently, former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel Sr. analysed the Travis Hunter situation in Jacksonville, and blamed the organisation for not leaning on the one coach who’s already built a system around Hunter’s two-way workload.

“Jacksonville did draft Travis Hunter to play both sides of the football full-time, and have not succeeded,” Samuel said. “Can’t even come close to succeeding to the point that they are abandoning the idea. So, the least [head coach] Liam Coen can do is have a conversation with Coach Prime, the man who is responsible for Travis Hunter playing both sides of the football full-time. The purpose of the Jacksonville Jaguars trading up in the draft for Travis Hunter was because he plays on both sides of the football at a high level.

“But if they was to have a conversation and get on that phone, I really wonder if Coach Prime can convince them, give them a system, some type of motivation to continue to let Travis Hunter thrive on both sides of the football. I think the chances are very slim, but I wonder because that’s the least they can do. Coach Prime is responsible for Travis Hunter being an outstanding athlete on both sides of the football.”

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Deion Sanders has already said – multiple times – that he believes Hunter should keep playing both ways and that the Jaguars never contacted him, even after watching Hunter win the Heisman Trophy doing exactly that in Boulder.

“They’re not going to ask me,” Coach Prime said in an interview with D.J. Saddiqi of Covers.com back in June. “I thank God that you’re asking me. The kid won the Heisman Trophy playing both sides of the ball. That’s all I’ve got to say on that.”

Across two seasons with the Buffs, Hunter managed to record 153 catches for 20 touchdowns and 1,979 yards. On defense, he logged 66 tackles and 7 interceptions, and defended 16 passes. All of this was against a staggering 2,625 snaps over two years, leading the FBS in total snap counts both seasons.

But Jacksonville’s version has been more cautious: a rookie year with limited defensive snaps and more looks on offense. Hunter logged 324 offensive snaps last season against just 162 defensive snaps. An LCL tear ended his 2025 campaign after just 7 games. The team has since maintained that they are going to keep using him on both sides of the ball. General manager James Gladstone has even promised increased snaps at the corner this year.

Meanwhile, Asante Samuel, in his podcast, also expressed his concerns about what could happen if the Jaguars limit Hunter’s performance to just one side of the ball. “That can rip a player apart,” he warned, pointing at the mental hit that comes when a team sells you one vision and then backs away from it.

Once the Jaguars hit training camp, the team will certainly be cautious with Travis Hunter coming off the season-ending LCL injury. But protecting a young corner from overload is one thing. Trading up for a two-way star, and then never calling the coach who developed that star, is exactly what Asante Samuel and Deion Sanders have been calling out. Will the Jaguars make that call?

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