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New England Patriots Rank Colorado Buffaloes Travis Hunter As Top NFL Draft Prospect?

The 2025 NFL Draft is in April and former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter is one of the top prospects. The New England Patriots hold the No. 4 overall pick, and they reportedly view Hunter as the top-ranked wide receiver and cornerback.

Angela Miele

Mar 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel discusses the teamís recent free agent additions with the media at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel discusses the teamís recent free agent additions with the media at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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The 2025 NFL Draft is nearing, and the speculation on where each prospect will land is growing. Colorado Buffaloes cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter is one of the top prospects. With his versatility, he is expected to be a top-five pick.

The New England Patriots hold the No. 4 overall draft pick and have high praise for Hunter. Per, Karen Guregian of MassLive, the Patriots view Hunter as the top-ranked wide receiver and cornerback in this year's draft class. New England has their quarterback of the future, and building around him will be the focus of the upcoming draft.

If Hunter does drop to the No. 4 pick, it would not be a shock if the Patriots selected him. While there is a need for New England to build the offensive line, Hunter is a rare prospect that is difficult to pass on. It could be expected that if the Patriots were to select him, they would use him more as a wide receiver, but he would likely get opportunities on the defensive side of the ball.

New England Patriots Mike Vrabel
Mar 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel discusses the teamís recent free agent additions with the media at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Patriots have two solid cornerbacks between Christian Gonzalez and the newly signed Carlton Davis. New England gave Davis a three-year deal worth $60 million, which implies Hunter, if drafted, would play more on the offensive side of the ball.

This would give second-year quarterback Drake Maye a solid player to throw to, but also give the Patriots added depth on the defense. 

Hunter is looking to play both offense and defense and understands this is something that he will have to work towards. Hunter spoke about having to work for the chance to play on both sides of the ball on the “Travis Hunter Show.”

“I have to prove that I can do it. So that’s my main thing. I'm gonna prove that I’m gonna do it and I can do it. So he’s not telling no lie. I still got to prove it,” Hunter said. “I just can’t go into the league, and they just say, ‘Oh, here you go, Trav, you could do all this,’ and I don’t go out and show up how I’m supposed to show up.”

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With New England grading Hunter so high, they could be a team that is open to him playing both offense and defense. While the Patriots are interested in Hunter, it does seem unlikely they would move up in the draft for him. This would mean Hunter would have to fall to the No. 4 spot, which may not happen.

Ahead of the Patriots in the draft, before any trades, are the No. 1 Tennessee Titans, the No. 2 Cleveland Browns, and the No. 3 New York Giants. While the Titans are likely to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick, it also would not be a surprise if they grab Hunter.

Titans coach Brian Callahan spoke ahead of the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine about the type of player Hunter is. The Titans are another team that, if Hunter does get drafted by, would be open to playing him on both sides of the ball.

Colorado Buffaloes Travis Hunter
Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter (DB15) looks on during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"He's got a really unique skill set that I don't think there's many players you can compare him to," Callahan said. "He probably starts at corner, and then you find ways to interject him into the offense as he gets more comfortable, he plays more and more offensively.” 

In 2024, Hunter recorded 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 36 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, four interceptions, and 11 passes defended.

“But, I think corner is probably his starting point, in my opinion. You might get varied opinions on that, and I think he's got a real role as a receiver," Callahan continued.

The 2025 NFL Draft takes place April 24-26, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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Angela Miele
ANGELA MIELE

Angela Miele is a writer covering the USC Trojans on Sports Illustrated. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Master’s in Communication and Media in 2024. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Rowan University. She graduated with a B.A. in English with minors in Writing Arts and Sports Communication and Media. Since graduating from Rowan University, she has been a contributor on various websites, most recently covering the NFL and college football for The Forkball.

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