Colorado's Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders on ESPN's Top 100 list

The Buffs duo are part of the nation's top college football players

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado Buffaloes standouts Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders made ESPN’s list of Top 100 college football players on Wednesday. It's a great honor for the duo that transferred over from Jackson State.

Hunter, a two-way star for the Buffs, earned consensus first-team All-American honors during his first year in Boulder. He was also this year's Paul Hornung Award winner for most versatile player, despite missing three games with a lacerated liver. By far one of the most electrifying players on either side of the ball this year. Hunter was ranked No. 35 on the list.

As for Sanders, the ironman QB for the Buffaloes earned conference honorable mention honors and set CU's single-season passing yards mark. He was a touchdown pass shy of matching that record as well. One of the best pure passers in college football with the best completion percentage for over 400 attempts. Sanders threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns behind a less-than-adequate offensive line, who allowed a total of 56 sacks last year. 

Coach Prime and his staff retooled the offensive line with outstanding players from the transfer portal. They also snagged Jordan Seaton, who's the nation's top lineman as part of the 2024 recruiting class. Colorado's 'Grown' QB came in 69th on the list.  

The Buffs faced a total of 15 players on ESPN's list during the 2023 season, including two top ten QBs with Oregon's Bo Nix (No. 4) and USC's Caleb Williams (No. 10). It was no surprise with LSU's Heisman winner Jayden Daniels taking the top spot. The former ASU Sun Devil was followed by Washington's Michael Penix, Jr. at No. 2 and OSU's Marvin Harrison, Jr. at No. 3.  

Both Hunter and Sanders will return to Boulder for the 2024 season. They're both talked about as Heisman hopefuls going into the off-season and slated as top five picks in some mocks for the 2025 NFL Draft.