Colorado superstar Travis Hunter — who’s getting his No. 12 jersey retired by the school — performed at an elite level at both wide receiver and cornerback in college football, but what if an NFL team decides they want him to solely play one side of the ball?
“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter told CBS Sports when asked what he’d do if told by the NFL team that took him in the 2025 NFL Draft he’d only be able to play one position.
“Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it. … I just feel very confident in myself, and I got a competitive spirit that I can do whatever I put my mind to, and I feel like I can do it.”
Hunter, who expressed that no NFL team has taken issue with him playing both ways at the next level, is coming off an otherworldly 2024 season at Colorado. As a wide receiver, he totaled 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. Hunter’s reception and touchdown totals each led the Big 12.
As a defensive back, Hunter totaled four interceptions, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble and 36 combined tackles, helping him earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. In the end, Hunter claimed the 2024 Heisman Trophy Award.
Hunter, a two-time All-American, played both ways in each of his two seasons at Colorado (2023-24), which preceded one season at Jackson State (2022).
How long can Travis Hunter play both sides of the ball in the NFL?
As for where Hunter lands in next week’s draft, the Tennessee Titans look poised to select Miami quarterback and 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick. That presumably leads Hunter to either the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 or the New York Giants at No. 3.
Both Cleveland (Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco) and New York (Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston) added a pair of experienced quarterbacks this offseason, opening the door for one of them to take Hunter over, say his teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
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