Big Cat Country
The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Stadium this Sunday in the first preseason action of the 2025 season for both teams. Here are three key matchups to look out for:
Having to double up opponents for Travis Hunter will undoubtedly become a theme of this season’s matchups series. With head coach Liam Coen confirming that the Jaguars’ starters will all see action on Sunday, we know that Hunter is about to make his debut in black & teal. The number two pick in this year’s NFL Draft is the most anticipated rookie to come into the league in some time, a true two-way player that could earn Pro Bowl or even All-Pro honors on either side of the ball. Having impressed in training camp thus far, you can feel the excitement growing in Jacksonville; the Jags have another superstar on their hands, and Hunter will no doubt want to meet expectations with a strong performance this weekend.
Knowing who he will be going up against is difficult. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that approximately 20 players will be held out of the game on Sunday, the majority of whom would be considered starters. Daunting cornerback trio Darius Slay, Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey are all out, meaning that the wide receiver version of Travis Hunter will likely be going up against Brandin Echols. Echols is a recent addition to the Steelers roster, coming over from the New York Jets this offseason. He racked up 57 games with Gang Green – only starting 19, but 122 tackles tells you he’s no slouch. A 5th year veteran, he should be able to give Hunter at least something to think about when they go head to head on Sunday.
Hunter’s introduction on defense might be a bigger challenge. DK Metcalfe is out, but Robert Woods looks set to play; with eleven seasons, 8,233 yards and 38 touchdowns under his belt and a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Woods has made a living beating cornerbacks despite not possessing elite size or speed. As far as getting acclimated to the NFL level, Woods will provide an excellent barometer for just how special Hunter can be in the secondary.
It is officially Walker Little season in Jacksonville. After being drafted out of Stanford in the second round four years ago, Little has mostly played understudy to Cam Robinson whilst deputizing at other spots on the offensive line. His versatility has proved useful, his injury proneness less so. But with the team inking him to a 3-year, $45m extension last December and James Gladstone not going out and acquiring a new blindside protector it’s a demonstration in trust that Little can be the long-term answer at left tackle.
We have a fairly good idea of what Walker Little is, even if he still has to prove some doubters wrong and manage to stay on the field for...
