In December, Deion Sanders sent a straightforward warning to the NFL teams eyeing Travis Hunter. Coach Prime was clear that his Heisman-winning star was going to play both positions in the pro league and the teams that don’t want that “shouldn’t draft him.” At this point, this seems like a non-negotiable thing for Hunter. The two-way phenom has made it clear that he plans to continue playing both cornerback and wide receiver positions once he gets drafted and with him being the offensive and defensive stat leader for the Buffaloes in receiving and INTs last season, it is hard to argue against him. But will it affect his draft stock?

The 6′ 1”, 185 Lbs. Suwanee native, Hunter, arguably the most complete football player to enter the draft in a decade, wants to do something that hasn’t been done since the days of Charles Woodson. His two-way escapades were on full display when he garnered 15 TDs and 4 INTs in his final collegiate season for HC Deion Sanders. But the NFL is a different beast, and multiple team executives reportedly see him strictly as a cornerback—perhaps with the occasional offensive package. That reality directly clashes with Hunter’s vision, and it could cost him millions.

NFL Rookie Watch shared an update on Instagram on Hunter’s NFL Draft status which would alert some teams looking to sign him.

“Travis Hunter is reportedly “preparing” to tell teams he wants to play BOTH WR and CB full-time in the NFL. Hunter reportedly “does not” want to be forced to play one position and wants to play both sides of the ball from the start. However, multiple NFL executives reportedly “only want to use” Hunter as a CB and from time-to-time on offense…The Colorado superstar has no plans on LETTING UP in the NFL.” This certainly didn’t go down well with a section of fans, who called him out for his stubbornness in the matter.

With Hunter, the teams face a challenge. Could it happen that a team looking for an offensive option wants Hunter only for that spot, thus ending his dream of playing both sides of the ball? If Hunter turns it down, it will be interesting to see which franchise picks him and where he ends up playing.

Todd McShay broke down the dilemma on The Rich Eisen Show, laying out the different scenarios for Hunter’s draft stock. “Where are we gonna play him? I mean, that’s the big question because I look at him right now based off of tape, and you would think it would be cornerback. It’s his best spot, he was pitched as a cornerback coming out of high school and it was all about his cornerback skills, and he is a dynamic player on that side of the ball. I actually think, Richie, that he’s a better wide receiver right now.”

If a team takes Hunter and says he will be a wide receiver first and a defensive player second. That could potentially push Hunter into the conversation for pick 1.01 or 1.02 in 1QB and Superflex formats. It is a tough ask for any team to actually embrace his two-way dream and expect him to play significant snaps on both offense and defense. No NFL team has ever willingly let a player do that for an entire season. Hunter only has to look at his Buffs coach Deion Sanders to take that lesson.

Despite being good at both positions, Sanders was primarily a defensive back in the NFL. As a receiver, Sanders wasn’t used in a full-time capacity aside from 1996. But then there is the case of Troy Brown, if Hunter wants to be a primarily offensive player. Brown began his Patriots career as a wide receiver but filled in at cornerback for several years. Later in his career, he switched to defense as the Patriots chased their third ring in four years in 2024. There are several other players who came up as two-way players but had one primary position.

McShay also pointed out, “If you go back in history, even Deion, he had some 60 career catches or something. Champ Bailey had 2. The point is all these guys we think back and yeah they did some stuff on both sides of the ball, it’s minuscule in terms of production on the offensive side.”

Top Comment by Jimsteeler88

Travis shows that he could handle both sides of the ball. I think it will only last about 5...more

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The concerns are legitimate. At Colorado, Hunter played an exhausting 94% of offensive snaps and 92.9% of defensive plays in games he was active. That’s absurd at the college level, let alone in a league where defensive backs regularly wear down after a few years of NFL speed and physicality. The difference between dominating in the Pac-12 and surviving in the pros is like night and day. One bad hit, one missed step, and the whole dream could come crashing down.

Addressing the situation, McShay added, “So if Hunter truly is going to be a generational talent, I think it’s going to have to be cornerback and then putting in a set of plays every week to try to get him the ball. Get it in his hands and maybe, you know, it’s 10-12 plays on the offensive side of the ball, but he’s the most dynamic playmaker in the entire draft.”

Still, there’s no denying Hunter’s talent. The man won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player and the Fred Biletnikoff as the best wide receiver—a feat never accomplished before. His ball skills are unmatched, his footwork at cornerback is elite, and his ability to high-point catches makes him a nightmare in one-on-one matchups.

Hunter recorded 1,258 yards on 96 receptions and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. On the defensive side, he made 35 tackles, 24 of which were solo, and also defended 11 passes in the 2024 season. But NFL franchises don’t make decisions based on a player’s college resume; they make them based on longevity and ROI. And right now, executives aren’t buying into Hunter’s two-way revolution.

There is one more key factor to consider for teams and Hunter when it comes to making a final decision and that is money. While many teams may see Hunter as a CB only, the Heisman winner will consider the salary on offer as a big factor in his decision.

At the moment, 10 different wide receivers have contracts at or exceeding $90 million in total value in the NFL.  Cornerbacks, meanwhile, claim half that number, with only one over $100 million, as compared to seven receivers. In September, the Dolphins made Jalen Ramsey the highest-paid CB in the league with a 3-year, $72.1 million deal, which comes down to $24.1 million annually. But in contrast, the highest-paid wide receiver in the league, Justin Jefferson is on a 4-year, $140 million deal with the Vikings, raking in $35 million in a year.

So, how much the team, looking to sign Hunter, will fork out, especially if he insists on playing both sides of the ball? This is a decision that will become more clear as we head closer to the draft.

But for now, Hunter’s draft stock could be affected if he continues to remain firm on his stance of being a rare NFL two-way player. Given how the teams view him, he could be a top-five pick or slid into the late first round—something no Heisman-winning, dual-position phenom should ever have to worry about.

Fans were quick to warn him about the consequences of his demand to play both sides of the ball, with some even saying it could hamper his longevity.

Two-way problems, for a two-way player Travis Hunter

In December, Deion Sanders appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and doubled down on Hunter’s potential as a two-way star. “He’s going to do that—or they shouldn’t draft him. You can be creative. He doesn’t have to play every snap like here, but he needs to contribute on both sides of the ball. Imagine your best receiver sitting on the bench when you need to move the ball or your best corner off the field while the other team’s torching you,” Coach Prime said. Hunter himself has on many occasions asserted that he intends to play both positions.

“I understand that it will be a high risk, [teams] don’t want their top pick to go down too early and I know they’re going to want me to be in a couple packages. But I believe I can do it. Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far,” he said back in November as he declared for the NFL Draft.

Of course, when a talent like Hunter makes a bold claim, the internet doesn’t just watch—it reacts, and sometimes, it’s brutal. The NFL Rookie Watch post was flooded with responses, many of them less than forgiving. One user put it bluntly: “This ain’t the circus in Colorado. Not playing both ways full time in the NFL. He think that little safety from Colorado State knocked him out. Gonna be way worst playing against grown men. Not playing both ways full time body won’t be able to endure that on the next level not in the SWAC and Big 12 anymore.”

The conversation was even re-ignited when Hunter took a vicious hit last season that sidelined him for weeks. Another user kept it simple: “Short career incoming“ While harsh, not entirely off-base. Playing every snap on both sides of the ball isn’t just rare in the NFL—it’s unprecedented.

Even his coach Deion, who famously played both ways at times, did so in a limited capacity and still dealt with injuries. The risk factor for Hunter is astronomical.

Someone said “Bro not going get pass his rookie tryna play all game… I can see him staying hurt all time” Hype is great, but reality is harsher. Hunter will have to prove he can hang at the highest level, and that’s not going to be easy if he insists on a workload no NFL player has ever sustained.

Another fan pointed out, “This guy is about to sign the most one-year deals in NFL history.” For Hunter, the first team to pick him could shape his NFL journey in a big way. If he insists on having his demands met, and it turns out not in his favor, he could see his stock plummet across the league. Playing regular snaps on both sides also entails a high risk of injury which could hamper his career.