If you told college football fans two years ago that Travis Hunter would eventually win a Heisman Trophy, they wouldn’t have been too surprised.
Hunter, a Florida native, was the top recruit in the country in the 2022 according to 247Sports and was expected to play both offense and defense for the Florida State Seminoles.
“A generational type of talent. Legitimately CB1 and WR1 for the class of 2022. Makes everything he does look extremely easy. Smooth. Explosive. Competitive. At times it seems like he’s almost a human cheat code as he’s always making the highlight reel play at the right time,” Andrew Ivins of 247Sports said at the time. Video game numbers during prep career make him seem even more godly. Hasn’t tested anywhere, but he’s one of those prospects that doesn’t need to run on the lasers to verify anything as his play speed trumps others.
“…Has the tools to be a difference maker the second he steps foot on the college campus of his choice. Viewed by most recruiters and scouts as cornerback longterm, but offensive coaches are likely going to be trying to get him some burn at wide receiver in situational packages.”
But then Hunter took the road less traveled. He shocked fans when he flipped from FSU to Deion Sanders and Jackson State on National Signing Day.
Hunter then followed Sanders to Colorado where the hype surrounding him has only continued to grow.
He made eight catches for 53 yards in the Buffs’ first half of the season, and could well have had more.
"He is HIM. We missed him on two deep balls. He gets those two deep balls, the Heisman is in his crib chilling right now." @DeionSanders had this to say about @CUBuffsFootball's Travis Hunter at the end of the first half ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/2dLhWWxWIQ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 2, 2023
“He is HIM. We missed him on two deep balls. He gets those two deep balls, the Heisman is in his crib chilling right now,” Sanders said of Hunter at halftime.
That’s high praise. But the superstar sophomore made him look pretty smart almost immediately, grabbing a huge interception to thwart a TCU drive in the third quarter.
TRAVIS HUNTER IS HIM pic.twitter.com/7iDybUfsOb
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) September 2, 2023