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A new era has begun once again with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team once again has a new duo in charge, as GM James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen have taken over in Duval. The Jaguars made waves throughout the offseason, most notably trading up to take two-way star Travis Hunter with the second overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. A few picks later, the Carolina Panthers took a new top target for quarterback Bryce Young in wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. On Tuesday, McMillan spoke to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe about the matchup between Hunter and himself Week 1, and Wolfe posted the exchange on X (formerly Twitter).
Week 1: Panthers & Tetairoa McMillan vs. Jaguars & Travis Hunter. Must-see rookie battle .
T-Mac: “He probably going to play both sides. Hopefully he gonna be more fatigued than I am.” pic.twitter.com/JTX7mb7Tp0
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 5, 2025
“Week 1: Panthers & Tetairoa McMillan vs. Jaguars & Travis Hunter,” posted Wolfe on the social media platform. “Must-see rookie battle. T-Mac: ‘He probably going to play both sides. Hopefully he gonna be more fatigued than I am.'”
At the moment, Hunter is listed as a starting wide receiver on the Jaguars depth chart. He’s also listed as the second team cornerback. Even if those roles hold, he will see a good amount of time on both sides of the ball. If Jacksonville’s coaching staff trusts him to cover McMillan, then that will surely be a matchup to watch. If the pair of top ten picks do end up facing off, who will get the upper hand?
Hunter and McMillan do have a bit of history against each other. Last season, Hunter’s Colorado Buffaloes defeated McMillan’s Arizona Wildcats 34-7 during the regular season. Hunter helped hold McMillan to five catches for 38 yards and pitched in on offense as well. Although the reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn’t have his best game (two catches on offense and one tackle on defense), Hunter and Colorado still came away with the win.
Will the same thing happen come Week 1? Panthers head coach Dave Canales followed a similar path as Coen, coordinating an explosive Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense before taking over in Carolina. Coen did the same in 2024. Both coaches are familiar with each other, and the McMillan/Hunter matchup is just one of many matchups to keep an eye on. Will either rookie steal the show en route to a season-opening win. Either way, this showdown could be the first of many for Hunter and McMillan at the NFL level.
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