ESPN analyst says Travis Hunter will make difficult decision before 2025 NFL Draft
Travis Hunter emerged as a two-way star in high school and never let up off the gas. Mostly because he excelled both as a wide receiver on offense and as a cornerback on defense. Not to mention, he has a coach in Deion Sanders who understands how to utilize his versatility.
Hunter followed Coach Prime to Jackson State and later at Colorado. Sanders had a similar career in the "Prime Time" era, playing both sides of the ball, which made him an ideal mentor for Hunter.
As Hunter prepares to enter the NFL draft, he faces a significant decision regarding how he'll be scouted in the pros. According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, Hunter will likely need to choose between focusing on offense or defense during team evaluations. This decision is crucial as it will shape his career in the NFL. Entering his junior season, Hunter is now draft-eligible, and scouts will be keenly observing his performance.
“He’s a three-way player,” Miller told SportsCenter Tuesday night. “But I do think at some point, he’ll be really forced by NFL teams to make a decision. We saw last year, he was playing more snaps than anyone in college football early in the season. And then, he had an injury – not related to his playing time – and he had to miss multiple games. So I think Step 1, he’s got to prove he can stay healthy. He’s not a big guy. He’s an undersized player.
“And then, I think that ability to just hone in on one position. To say, I’m gonna work on understanding the intricacies of the wide receiver position or the technique of the corner position. He’s gonna have to make that decision. But he is a playmaker where you want the ball in his hands.”
Despite an injury setback last year against Colorado State, Hunter demonstrated his importance to Sanders' team. Offensively, he recorded 57 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, he added 30 tackles and three interceptions. These impressive stats highlight his dual-threat capability, which has been a cornerstone of his success.
“Personally, I think he has better upside as a receiver and a return man than he does at corner. But that decision will ultimately be his,” Miller said. “When we get to the NFL Scouting Combine in February, I bet we’ll have teams saying ‘Travis, where do you want to play in the NFL and how do you see yourself fitting into the program we have going here?'”
Miller also speculates that Hunter could find success as a kick returner in the NFL, adding another dimension to his versatile skill set. This possibility will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion during the pre-draft process.
In Miller's early 2025 mock draft, he projects Hunter as the No. 9 overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals. This projection underscores the high expectations surrounding Hunter as he enters the next phase of his football career.
As Colorado enters its second year under Coach Prime, Hunter's performance will be closely watched, with many eager to see how his talents will translate to the professional level. He's currently slated with a top-round grade and will look to keep it after the 2024 season ends.
JASON JONES