How Travis Hunter can still improve blazing hot 2025 NFL draft stock

There isn't another player heading into the 2025 NFL Draft as exciting and dynamic as Travis Hunter. The two-way Colorado star can improve his stock still, though.

CU football standout athlete Travis Hunter flashes a No. 1 with his finger after a win against CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. / Cris Tiller / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It would be difficult to poke many holes in the game of Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Hunter, who is quickly becoming the darling of the 2025 NFL draft class. NFL draft scouts are paid to do just that, though, and there are a couple of ways Hunter can improve his already scorching-hot stock.

Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic highlighted these two things in a recent column lauding the electric two-way Buffaloes star. His overall size, apparently, is something that could be a "gripe" from NFL scouts.

"The only gripe against him would be his weight, as he’s a little on the thin side at a long 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds."

There are, of course, a host of other things Hunter does exceptionally well, which Baumgardner highlighted, writing, "His athletic burst, acceleration, agility, balance and body control are all elite, though. Most importantly, so are his ball skills."

So, his weight is one issue that Hunter will need to perhaps address as he takes his game to the next level. The second issue brought up by Baumgardner is somewhat related.

"Durability, as much as anything, will be a huge factor in Hunter’s final spot in the 2025 NFL Draft, regardless of which position his next team wants him to play. Should Hunter indeed declare for next spring’s draft, expect him to work out on both sides of the ball for teams throughout the process. That would offer teams the chance to fully evaluate Hunter’s fit, and it’d give Hunter an opportunity to show off how impressive an athlete he truly is."

There is plenty of evidence that Hunter will be a two-way player at the NFL level. He has made it clear that is his desire, and already NFL draft experts are saying they believe he will play both wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL.

If Hunter does play both sides of the ball for an NFL team, then he will absolutely need to add a bit more size to hold up at this level. It's something many draft prospects have done in the past, and it shouldn't be a problem for the superstar to accomplish once the 2024 college football season is over.

As for durability, Hunter has proven himself capable of playing more snaps than anyone we've seen in recent years, and doing so at a high level from the start of the game until its conclusion.