Get Ready NFL: Travis Hunter Is Coming Sooner Than Later
Colorado’s Star Player Has Been Dominant and Is Expected to Enter the 2025 NFL Draft
A Unicorn of the Game
If you’ve been following NCAAF rumors this season, then you know the 2025 NFL draft does not have a slam-dunk No. 1 prospect at quarterback like Andrew Luck. But you can count on Colorado’s two-way sensation Travis Hunter to be in the discussion for that first pick. The wide receiver/corner made NCAAF news Thursday by saying he will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
Let the NFL predictions begin on where the versatile Hunter will end up as a lot of teams are jockeying for those top five picks right now. But the most enticing question is whether Hunter will be a corner, a wide receiver, or make history in the modern era as a two-way player at the NFL level.
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Colorado star WR/CB Travis Hunter confirms he is “definitely” entering the 2025 NFL Draft AND plans to play both positions as a pro.
That would be HISTORIC. pic.twitter.com/4PSMIS6fR7
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 21, 2024
Naturally, Hunter is no stranger to attention and wants to try playing both positions in the pros. “Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far,” Hunter said.
You could call it the ‘Shohei Ohtani Effect’ from baseball, or maybe there’s a closer source of inspiration than that for Hunter.
Full-Time Two-Way Player Would Be Historic
Two-way players were common in the days of World War II and such in the NFL, but the closest anyone has really come in the modern era was Deion Sanders, Hunter’s coach at Colorado and the likely top motivator for him to try this. Deion was an elite corner, but he also caught 36 passes for the Cowboys in the 1996 season, finishing his career with 60 catches for 784 yards.
Someone like Devin Hester (Bears) was arguably the greatest return specialist ever, but he was quickly moved from corner his rookie season to wide receiver where he never shined like he did on special teams.
It is an extremely ambitious goal, and there are valid concerns that playing so many snaps would increase the injury risks that would cause Hunter to miss too many NFL games for his team.
“A unicorn’s just different. It’s hard to do what the unicorn can do”
Calling Travis Hunter ‘different’ doesn’t quite describe the amazing absurdity he accomplishes every weekend
His Heisman campaign manager Shedeur Sanders put it plainly – give 12 his trophy #Denver7 #HE12MAN pic.twitter.com/SeHUD9o0Y8
— Nick Rothschild (@nick_rothschild) November 22, 2024
Let the Hot Takes Begin Too
Hunter will be a polarizing figure in the 2025 NFL draft. He’s already polarizing college football fans as some don’t believe he is great enough at either position to be running away with the 2024 Heisman Trophy odds at -400 at BetUS are strong with two weeks to go.
The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” has already entered the chat on Hunter’s pro prospects. When you look at Travis Hunter’s stats at Colorado the last two years, he is averaging 12.5 yards per catch, and 85.9 receiving yards per game, and he has intercepted three passes in each of his two seasons to go along with 13 passes defended.
It’s not exactly Malik Nabers meets Sauce Gardner, but Hunter is an elite athlete with real playmaking ability. Someone should be able to carve out a great role for him, but it will be a debate on which position he should pursue full-time if a team refuses to let him continue playing the way he has. Wide receivers certainly make more money these days than corners in the NFL, so that’s something to consider.
🫶🫶🫶 pic.twitter.com/yFzuA1AuTt
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) November 16, 2024
Quarterback-needy teams like the Giants and Raiders may not need Hunter in 2025, but the Patriots are dying for a playmaker. Could that be the fit? We’ll find out in April.
