The nature of sports fandom is such that it works in subjective hypotheticals more than objective reality. So, picture a Venn diagram of Travis Hunter opinions. There’s a minority that believes the Heisman winner shall primarily be a receiver in the NFL. Who plays some snaps on defense? A consensus majority believes he’d be a lockdown corner used in certain offensive packages. Then there’s the crowd in the middle who are hoping this unicorn continues his unprecedented run of doing both with near equal zest. It’s difficult to say what’s higher. The number of snaps Travis played in college? Or opinions of how he’ll translate to the pros. One revered voice in the media has given his verdict.

Most people passing commentary on Travis Hunter’s NFL prospects haven’t seen him half as much as Joel Klatt. The FOX broadcaster and Colorado alumni have witnessed every beat of his historic junior year. You’d imagine his decree holds weight or at least won’t fall on deaf ears. Both within the masses and NFL front offices. As such, Klatt leveraged his opinion of which position, or positions, he sees Travis Hunter play. As well as which franchise he believes this generational prospect will wind up in. Fair warning. There’s good news with one facet if you’re Travis. Some alarming news with the other.

Klatt presented a Mock Draft on his namesake YouTube channel. Amid the conversation about his potential landing spot, he delved into Travis Hunter’s role. “I believe that Travis Hunter will play both sides in the National Football League,” claimed Joel Klatt. “I actually don’t think it’s that hard…for him.” His rationale was based on the fact that Travis’ workload would decrease on the offensive end. Meaning he’ll have a longer leash, physically, than he’s had before.

Why fewer snaps on offense? Because Klatt thinks Travis Hunter’s frame limits him to being more a WR3 than WR1. “His size, stature and quickness, more importantly, lend him to being more of a slot player. Get his hands on the ball in creative ways. Which means that his snaps get limited from, let’s say, 60 to 35 just based on game situation and personnel grouping.” he stated. 

This follows Travis’ biggest proponent, Deion Sanders, taking a similar stance. “Don’t draft [Travis Hunter] if you’re not going to give him an opportunity to play on both sides of the ball,” he said to Rich Eisen. “Now, you can be creative. He don’t have to do what we did with him [at Colorado] and play every snap. But, just say, he’s starting the corner. He’s going to have to be on your nickel packages, or your spread packages on the offense.” Almost verbatim what Klatt said about putting Travis in, depending on the play call. However, there’s an elephant in the room. It’s not as simple as just the fatigue aspect. There are issues with playing both sides that remain unaddressed.

Travis Hunter playing both positions will mean he has to divide time in practice. This, in turn, will make it difficult to be on the same page with his quarterback. Although it wasn’t apparent in college, this issue will get amplified to the next level. Also, franchises and coaches will themselves want to limit Travis for a different reason. Given he’s headed to a struggling team, any potential injury would mean the team loses its best player in two positions. This means they’ll need depth in either position anyway. Which will inadvertently also lead to Travis not playing every snap. The signs point to Travis Hunter being a corner if he was to exclusively play one position. Klatt echoed this, too. That said, there is a rationale for why certain factors may push him to be a receiver.

Wide receivers in this era of football are more quintessential than they’ve ever been. As the game ascends towards the air into a more pass-centric style, they’re a precious commodity. This means they’re paid relatively better, too. The receiver market has seen exponential growth in terms of the zeroes afforded to them. The top-earning receivers make nearly 50% more than the top corners. Justin Jefferson rakes in 11 million more than Pat Surtain II each year on average. This leads to a conundrum.

If and when Travis Hunter finishes his rookie-scale contract and gets a big payday, he’ll stand to make tens of millions fewer as a CB than as a WR, as per the market standards. This could be a factor for Travis to focus on that side of the ball instead. The financial gain is reciprocal to Travis’s primary skill as a defensive back. A huge decision that becomes worth 8 figures down the line beckons for the franchise that drafts him as well as Travis himself. Speaking of which, this is the perfect segue into the Mock Draft itself.

Joel Klatt swims upstream against the consensus with his prediction for Travis Hunter’s NFL home

Right off the bat, Joel Klatt began his mock atypically. He projects a trade between #1 Titans and #3 Giants. Owing to this, The Giants were adjudged to pick QB Shedeur Sanders. There’s been prevalent reporting around this happening, and it makes sense for the Giants to secure their man by bypassing 2 teams. Then, Cleveland picks EDGE Abdul Carter at #2. The effect an advantage on the D-line can have was evident during the Super Bowl, and Carter is deserving of this eminence. The Titans then pick the other big-ticket QB, Cam Ward. Their president of football ops, Chad Brinker, has stated the franchise “won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick.” Whether Cam fits that bill is up for debate. What Joel Klatt proceeded with was most surprising.

“It’s tempting to go Travis Hunter [to the Patriots at #4],” he said. “Because they can address the corner issue and the wide receiver issue with one player. However, I think [they’re] going to go first principles here and try to get better at the line of scrimmage.” Sensationally, Klatt picked LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell. A great player in his own right and someone who’ll solidify the protection for Drake Maye. However, it’s certainly a choice with Travis Hunter still on the board. Did Joel Klatt overthink it? Dallas Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison instantly comes to mind!

Wherever Travis Hunter ends up going, he’ll hope for a couple of things. A chance to feature the way he pleases to be and an environment conducive to his development. The latter is a bit of a paradox. Because franchises that draft this high are usually not in a good place. That said, a couple have great coaches in charge. The Pats, for instance, just got Mike Vrabel and aren’t in complete disarray structurally. Football fans of all persuasions will hope this unicorn is allowed to spread his wings and isn’t limited in role or quality. The Combine and Pro Day cycle will tell us a lot about what the future entails.