Travis Hunter Topped Mahomes and Nobody in the League Is Ready For It

Alright, 12s, we're deep into the NFL regular season, and while our Seahawks are always front of mind, you gotta keep an eye on the rest of the league, right? And what I just heard about some of the early chatter out of Jacksonville? Man, it's gonna make you do a double-take. We're talking about a player who straight-up *topped Patrick Mahomes* in surprising NFLPA rankings. Seriously, Travis Hunter is already making waves, and ESPN is out here projecting a major second-year jump for him. If that doesn't get your attention as we follow the league, I don't know what will.

Hunter's Hype Train Is Real, But the Jags Are a Wild Card

You heard that right: Travis Hunter, already turning heads. NFL analysts are making bold predictions for him in 2026, and after seeing him outrank Mahomes in *anything*, it's easy to see why. Liam Coen even evaluated Hunter's early performance during OTAs. This dude is looking like a serious playmaker, and it makes you wonder just how high his ceiling really is. But here's the kicker: even with all this individual hype, the Jaguars were listed among five 'least improved teams' during the 2026 offseason. How does that even compute? It's a head-scratcher, for sure.

Plenty of Questions, Plenty of Players to Watch in Duval

It's not all sunshine and Hunter-hype in Duval County. There are some real questions lingering. Their training camp competition is already being called one of the top position battles in the NFL. They've got guys like Brian Thomas Jr. who intends to bounce back in 2026, and Coen's been evaluating his early performance during OTAs. Then there's the whole "Do Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas Jr. have new chemistry?" question floating around. Plus, Campanile is evaluating Ventrell Miller in their LB competition, and Liam Coen wants to see specific things from Travon Walker in 2026. We even saw them make a roster move at defensive tackle during OTAs. They've got a 2025 UDFA aiming higher in 2026 to build upon their Year 1 performance, and another UDFA is making high-impact plays early. An NFL analyst is making bold predictions for TE Nate Boerkircher, too, and a second-year player is expected to fill a key and growing role in their offense. Rookie defenders are believed to have a quick impact, and an offseason addition could too, according to their coach. Antonio Johnson fills a unique role in Campanile's defense, and Bhayshul Tuten is discussing his biggest areas for improvement. They've even identified two areas of emphasis to help generate more sacks in 2026. Montaric Brown's future is also being discussed. So, yeah, it's a mixed bag of early news, but definitely not boring.

The Stakes Are High, Even if We're Just Watching

This kind of chaos, even from another team, is what makes early NFL season so wild. Jacksonville has an early season matchup already named a must-watch game of 2026. And hey, at least Myles Garrett is no longer on their 2026 NFL schedule, right? As we keep our eyes on Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park, it's clear the league is already buzzing with unexpected twists. We'll be watching to see if Hunter can truly live up to the hype and if the Jags can shake off that 'least improved' label.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.