By: Michael Higgins

School: Colorado

Class: Junior

Position: WR/CB

HT: 6’1

WT: 185 lbs

Background: Travis Hunter was the unanimous highest ranked recruit in the class of 2022. Also, Hunter is one of the highest graded prospects ever. This is largely due to his ability to play at an elite level on both sides of the ball. Hunter is originally from Suwanee, GA, where he played his high school ball for Collins Hill. He was named the MaxPreps Georgia Player of the Year as a junior and senior in high school. Additionally, as a senior, he was a First Team All-American and the National Player of the Year. Hunter made a shocking decision after being committed to Florida State, he flipped his commitment to Deion Sanders’ Jackson State.

College: After a freshman season at Jackson State that saw Hunter appear in 8 games and win the SWAC Freshman of the Year award, Hunter followed the Sanders family to Colorado. Hunter truly broke out at Colorado. In 2023, he was named All-Pac 12 at multiple positions. He was both an All-American selection and an All-Academic selection. In 2024, he saw even more success. Not only was he balling on both sides, but his team was performing much better in their inaugural Big 12 year. Hunter took home the Heisman after dominating on both sides of the ball.

Strengths: Hunter has elite ball skills for the cornerback position due to his two-way experience. He is explosive out of the backpedal and can make up ground fairly easily. His length and instincts do him well in zone and man schemes. He does well to turn his head around and track the ball without getting handsy. His ball-tracking ability is elite for the position. Hunter gets his hand on the football consistently. Travis is able to get out of his stance and turn into a full sprint in one fluid motion.

As a wide receiver, Hunter displays incredible versatility as both a slot and outside receiver who can move all over the field. Hunter is a twitchy route runner who can beat press coverage with a quick release. He is also dangerous as a ball carrier making defenders miss. The way Hunter can get physical at the catch point and rip the ball from the air with defenders on him is surprising for his wiry frame.

Weaknesses: Concerns about Hunter as a cornerback are largely due to his frame. He will need to prove that he can muscle up and stick with the bigger X receivers of the NFL. The lack of muscle mass is apparent in press man coverage, where Hunter can be seen getting overpowered by those bigger bodies. He also has issues tackling ball carriers in the open field. He tries to arm tackle too often, which leads to him slipping off the ball carrier.

Concerns for Hunter as a wide receiver is a shorter list but start at the same point. Will his thin frame translate to the NFL? Plenty of wide receivers have come into the league with the same skepticism and lit it up. Those physical press corners give Hunter trouble and that will happen in the NFL, as well. It is also worth mentioning that if Hunter plays both sides of the ball in the NFL, it will take a toll on him and his body. He will not be as effective on any one side of the ball as if he just played one of the positions.

Conclusion: Travis Hunter is a generational athlete. His ability to be an elite player on both sides of the ball is unprecedented. He will have twice as many opportunities to be a star in the NFL and it feels like a sure fire thing that he will be. Even if he does not end up being able to play both sides, he will still be a franchise-changing player.

Scheme Fit: Any

Ideal Role: Zone CB and Slot WR

Best Team Fits: NE, CLE, JAX

Player Comparison(s): Sauce Gardner & Chris Olave

Player Grade: Early Round 1 (96.8)