The higher you climb, the more devastating a potential fall is. As cliche as that sounds, this rings true. In fact, they’re almost words of gospel for successful athletes. How often do you see a superstar come down crashing in the twilight of their career? Or worse, before it even kicked into gear? Not only does this phenomenon apply in the field. It’s just as resounding off it. Travis Hunter firmly falls into this ilk of player, and he’s being warned of the pitfalls that trail success. The advice comes via the iconic Cam Newton, who knows a thing or two about them.

Cam Newton is inarguably one of the greatest athletes of the modern era. He may not have had the longevity, but he transcended the sport at his apex. This inadvertently brings about very substantial wealth. However, traversing life while reaping the rewards of your success isn’t a linear path. The riches, persona, and lifestyle of these athletes, or at least the ones they exhibit to the masses, can perhaps smear a sheen on a surface level. Below the conspicuous surface are underlying issues that often stem from money in the first place. As Travis Hunter flies out of his proverbial cocoon and learns to deal with the real world, his long-standing mentor Cam Newton leveraged some advice. 

From prodigy to proven. Travis Hunter’s tryst with rewriting history is complete. The 2-way unicorn has earned the title of the best player in the sport after winning the Heisman Trophy. But before he became this sensation, Cam Newton took a relatively unknown Travis under his wing. As a 5-star recruit ranked no.1 in the country, Travis was already destined for success. But Cam’s role in honing the man off the gridiron, as somebody who’s been that Heisman winner and dealt with the pressure of expectation himself, cannot be overstated. He guested on “The Travis Hunter Show” and voiced the importance of keeping away “clout chasers” and parasites seeking to exploit Travis for their gain.

Cam Newton said “Some people say, ‘Yo bro. Travis played on my team. Like, do you know his mama? Do you have real relationships? What’s your intentions? A lot of these cats be clout chasing.” He proceeded to speak about what allows him to connect with Travis Hunter, unlike anybody. “One of my biggest flexes with him was being able to say ‘Everywhere that you’ve gone, I’ve been there.’ Heisman?. Hello. First draft pick? Hello. Now in his world, which is noisy, he’s gonna have to answer the question of who really benefits off of me, and who do I benefit off of? And it’s not always a transactional, monetary thing. It’s more or less about how can you bestow wisdom on me” 

Throughout this monologue, Cam implied that his exact experiences make him the right person to guide Travis for what’s to come. Been there, done that. Seen the highs and, more importantly, the lows. As Travis Hunter moves closer toward the next big moment of his young life, the NFL Draft, there’s plenty of conjecture about where he’s headed and with what pick. The consensus seems to be that he’ll go in the top 4, but without exactness. Amidst the discourse, revered draftnik Mel Kiper has urged the Tennessee Titans to pick him. Something that will fulfill Cam Newton’s prophecy of Travis following in his footsteps of being the no.1 pick.

Mel Kiper pushes the Tennessee Titans to draft “best player” Travis Hunter #1 overall

For the longest time, it seemed like the Titans were destined to pick a QB. Whether it’s Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, whoever the brass and scouts deem is better. Now, a rationale has cropped up about them trading back. The issues for the Titans run so deep that they could indulge in some acrobatics. This would allow them to draft multiple high-caliber picks. Filling out the supporting cast instead of going all-in on the quarterback. Then, draft a QB in the later rounds. A multitude of issues mean spreading your rebuild around could be a shrewd move. Not every outfit will get their franchise QB straightaway, so chancing a low draft pick on an alternative strategy is a calculated risk. However, Mel Kiper is adamant they shouldn’t overthink and pick Travis Hunter.

When asked on ESPN’s First Draft what he’d do with the no.1 pick, Kiper said “I would take Travis Hunter,” He added “Travis Hunter, what he does, he’s effortless…He is so smooth. You don’t realize how fast he is because he’s such a smooth athlete. He’s so smart. He’s so tough. His stamina and endurance level is through the roof. I’m taking Travis Hunter if I’m taking the best player in this draft.” That last bit is particularly intriguing because Titans’ president of football ops Chad Brinker has stated the franchise “won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick” The masses are split about who he meant, with many suggesting it could be EDGE Abdul Carter. Either player has a claim on that moniker.

Whether or not he winds up in Tennessee, the overarching process for Travis Hunter remains the same. Make sure to surround yourself with the right people. Those that are conducive to his growth. Similar to how Cam Newton has been. Cam preached a lot of stuff that gets set aside when the flash and fame, even greed, is staring you in the face. Travis has shown time and again he possesses the mind between his ears to go with his athletic prowess.