Colorado's Travis Hunter Draws Comparison to New York Jets Superstar

Colorado star Travis Hunter was compared to the New York Jets top offensive player.

Apr 27, 2024; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Travis Hunter (12) warms up before a spring game event at Folsom Field. / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets' struggles over the past few years certainly aren't great, but it's allowed the team to land some high-level players in the NFL draft. If it weren't for some of those struggles, the Jets wouldn't have some of the top players on their roster.

Joe Douglas has done a great job in the draft, most notably selecting Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson in 2022. Gardner was the No. 4 pick, while Wilson went No. 10. There's a very strong argument that they're the two best players from that draft class.

Hopefully, in the future, Douglas and New York won't be able to pick in the top 10. While there are benefits to that, the expectation is for them to be good enough that they're picking around No. 20.

However, the 2025 NFL draft has some big names that could help this franchise. Travis Hunter of Colorado is perhaps the biggest one, as the two-way star can do it all on the field. Hunter finished with 721 yards on 57 receptions in 2023 while only playing in nine games due to injury. He's also a star on the defensive end.

Hunter is expected to be drafted within the top 10, likely making it impossible for the Jets to draft him.

However, that didn't stop Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com from comparing him to Wilson, putting him in company with one of the NFL's top wide receivers.

"I know this is lofty praise, but his movement skills and run-after-catch ability remind me of Garrett Wilson when he was coming out of Ohio State. I loved Wilson in the 2022 NFL Draft, viewing him as the best receiver (and No. 4 overall prospect) in his class.

"In two years with the New York Jets, the former No. 10 overall pick has been outstanding, producing a pair of 1,000-yard seasons despite some severe challenges at the quarterback position. I believe Wilson is on the cusp of being a top-five NFL wideout, if he’s not there already. I see similar traits and tools when Hunter is on the offensive side of the ball."

Playing both sides of the football makes it tough to compare him to Wilson, even as a receiver. He spends a lot of his energy on the defensive end, but Wilson had a better showing in college as a receiver.

At Ohio State, the now 23-year-old posted 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns on 70 receptions in his final campaign. Still, it's a lofty comparison and shows how good Hunter truly is.

He'd be an exciting player to pair with Gardner on the defensive end and Wilson on the offensive end, but winning this year would be much better than anything else.