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It is very possible that Travis Hunter could be selected with one of the first two picks in the upcoming NFL Draft if the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns decide not to take Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart, among others. Regardless of which team ends up calling his name, he will play a different position depending on what team drafts him.
If you find that sentence to be confusing, it’s because it is. The Heisman Trophy winner’s ability to play on both sides of the ball is one of the biggest storylines to watch over the next few weeks and is already one of the biggest talking points of the NFL Draft Combine.
Travis Hunter Jr., a former five-star recruit, was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the college football recruiting Class of 2022. Once considered a lock to play at Florida State or Miami, he shocked the entire world and flipped his commitment to Jackson State on National Signing Day. Deion Sanders later brought him to Boulder when he took the head coaching job at Colorado. The rest is history. Literally.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver and cornerback caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 12 touchdowns and ran for a touchdown on offense, and made 32 tackles with four interceptions, 11 passes deflected and two forced fumbles on defense during the 2024 season. There may never be another college football player like Travis Hunter, who played a whopping 1,443 snaps in 12 games as a junior.
But how does that translate to the NFL? Good question.
What position is Travis Hunter?
Hunter wants to play both ways as a pro. Coach Prime even joked that he might come back to college for one more year if the team that drafts him does not let him play on offense and defense.
However, that may not be possible for more reason than one— the first being the toll that it takes on his body and the unique way he must be used (or not used) in practice. The talent gap between college and the pros is another. The list goes on.
At the very least, an NFL team might allow Travis Hunter to take limited snaps on both sides of the ball while spending most of his time one primary position. For example, he could play full-time on defense with a special offensive package for various in-game situations. Or he could play full-time on offense while also taking snaps at defensive back on third downs.
Either way, most NFL teams are going to want to establish a primary position for Hunter. And therein lies the initial question of said position.
According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, there is already a disagreement at the top two spots. Titans head coach Brian Callahan and general manager Mike Borgonzi said they view Hunter primarily as a corner. Browns general manager Andrew Berry said he is a unicorn, but they view him primarily as a wide receiver. Hm.
Neither team’s view of Travis Hunter may matter. Cleveland and Tennessee could take Ward and Sanders with the first two picks in the NFL Draft. They could draft a stud like Abdul Carter. They could take an offensive lineman to protect a quarterback they plan to sign in free agency.
We won’t know until April! Nevertheless, whatever NFL team does choose to draft the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will have to figure out what to do with him and where to put him.