JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — From the moment the card was sent in, selecting Travis Hunter with the second overall pick, Hunter instantly became the Jaguars most popular player in franchise history.
Since his breakout junior season at Collins Hill High School, Hunter has been among the most discussed players at his respective level, if not the most.
A state champion, five-star recruit, Heisman winner, and the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Hunter’s lived much of his recent years in the starlight, surrounded by both success and attention.
Everywhere Hunter has gone, both success and attention have seemed to follow suit. Hunter’s 2.1 million Instagram followers are by far the most on the Jaguars’ roster and rival some of the league’s biggest stars.
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In fact, Hunter has over twice the followers as Jacksonville Jaguars themselves. Despite his popularity, Hunter very much keeps to himself and rarely seeks out the fame he’s received.
If he were to, who knows how popular he could become. Recently, Hunter’s undying generosity and joyous attitude garnered him even more attention as he’s had two viral moments off the field already during his short time in Jacksonville.
Sandy Hawkins Combs, a woman from Denver, CO got to experience Hunter’s ‘intangibly rich’ personality firsthand when Hunter offered to help Combs put her bags in the overhead compartments and with her tray on a flight shortly after the draft.
In Brent Martineau’s exclusive interview with Hunter, Martineau asked what he made of the viral moment. “It’s just me being a kid that grew up with his grandparents.
My grandparents don’t have to ask me twice, they ask me something, I’m going to help. Goes for my parents, my parents ask me something, I make sure I’m there...same with siblings and my wife now,” said Hunter.
“It’s just me being me, doing what I do, without even the cameras on. I’m the same person when the cameras on, same person when the cameras off,” he continued.
Read: 1-On-1 with Jaguars’ Travis Hunter: To understand the player, you must first understand the man - PART 1
Hunter acknowledges that every moment of his life has become a story, “I’m not really surprised because a lot of people want to see what I’m doing at all times. I kind of distance myself from social media so they are excited to see me still being me.”
At the same time, it still hasn’t quite hit Hunter of just how popular he’s become. Recently, Hunter spotted a high school kid practicing football drills in his yard and decided to stop by and pay the young athlete a visit.
You can imagine the excitement and awe felt when the reigning Heisman winner personally stops by to help work on some drills with you.
It was truly a once in a lifetime moment for the teen.
“It was nice. I don’t know how big I am right now but seeing a kid out there just working. He’s on break, summer break, so I wasn’t expecting to see a kid out there working in the back yard with a chair with his headphones on, he’s got a good work ethic.
I want to go over there and give him some good words of encouragement,” Hunter said of the experience.
It isn’t for the views, the clicks, the fame or out of some sense of responsibility though.
For Travis Hunter, that’s just who he is. “Not really, I don’t think it’s a responsibility. When I see kids doing extra work, extra mile, I’m a nice person, nice guy - I also gave him a football, I had a signed football - just going over there and making a kids day is something I like to do,” said Hunter.
“Ain’t nobody that come back and make me that excited when I was younger, just giving kids encouragement and hopefully I see him at the next level,” Hunter continued.
Whether it’s his viral interception on the field or his charitable nature off it, Hunter’s short time in Jacksonville has already been filled with awe-inspiring moments that have tugged at the hearts of fans everywhere, especially those in Duval County.
If Hunter’s incredible talent, success, and popularity are any indication of what is to come, Jaguars’ football will be must see TV in Jacksonville.
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