As the Colorado Buffaloes close in on an unexpected run to a Big 12 title, their junior superstar Travis Hunter is inching closer to a well-deserved Heisman Trophy. Although Hunter hasn’t put up the biggest numbers we’ve seen from a Heisman candidate receiver, nor have defensive players ever been seriously considered for this award, the fact that the Buffs two-way force is among the best players in the country at both wide receiver and cornerback makes him a unicorn of sorts.
The question now is, will the two-way act end at Colorado, or is this only the beginning for a player who could end up being one of the faces of the National Football League moving forward? Well, as of Thursday afternoon, Hunter made it very clear what he hopes for.
According to college football insider Pat Forde, on a Zoom call Travis Hunter told reporters that he plans to play on both sides of the ball once he heads to the NFL, and that he will be NFL-bound after the 2024 college football season.
Hunter has only played three years of college ball — one at Jackson State and two at Colorado — so he does have multiple seasons of eligibility remaining. His NIL valuation, according to On3, is $3.4 million, the third-highest among all Division I athletes, so prior to this comment, it was at least conceivable that Hunter could opt to return to Colorado for another year where he could continue raking in the dough while playing for a head coach in Deion Sanders who Hunter has called “a father figure.”
But in this sort of situation, even if it were what was best for the Colorado football program, Deion Sanders would be quick to tell Travis Hunter to go ahead and make the leap to the NFL, just like he’s been quick to tell the NFL that they should give Hunter the chance to play both wide receiver and cornerback.
Hunter certainly has the skillset to play on both sides of the ball… it’s just a matter of if he can withstand the physical demands that would come with it. Thus far, based on everything we’ve seen from him in Boulder, he’s proven he’s up for the challenge. Hunter is playing roughly 120 snaps per game this season, with a handful of games already over 150. At a certain point, that can’t hold up, but that may end up being the NFL’s problem. For now, the Buffaloes will keep riding their Heisman candidate.
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