This has to be the perfect analogy we have ever heard. With the Heisman locked in, Travis Hunter is probably going to go in the first round in the drafts, and there is no denying that—but with that pick comes a lot of questions. See, Hunter’s run with Colorado is nothing but historic. If any other player has done 2-way this much justice, it’s probably Champ Bailey. No one even remotely comes close to what Hunter pulled off for the Buffs in 2024. He is a nightmare to cover for when he is catching those passes from Shedeur Sanders, and he is a nightmare to evade as he watches for the QB snap and straight-up picks the ball off midair. Where do you even draft this guy?
“Drafting Travis Hunter is like ordering from the McDonald’s menu. There’s something for everyone on the menu, just like there’s something for every team with Travis Hunter, but not all menu items are created equal,” Max Browne points out. When the Buffs took to the gridiron against Colorado State, Hunter was there for 116 snaps out of the total 138—why are we even mentioning this? Because that game was historic. Hunter went for 100 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. No other player in the entire FBS has done something like this other than Kevin Lockett back in 1996.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
View this post on Instagram
Now when you take this and translate it into the NFL, things take a turn. While you still get the average 63 snaps on both sides of the football back at the league, the overall pressure and the amount of talent you have to deal with are vastly different. Although Hunter has made up his mind with the “2-way” style…
…pulling off the same feat that he did against Colorado State (in the NFL) is like expecting an FCS team to go guns blazing for a 50+ point win against the 2020-21 era Crimson Tide—it is quite literally not possible. You can put as much blood, sweat, and tears into it, but you cannot pull that feat off.
“Now, Travis Hunter, the wide receiver. He’s like the McChicken… You’re gonna be very happy with that order, and it’s a great one, but there’s gonna be part of you deep in your gut. That knows you probably could have got a comparable chicken sandwich just down the road… But Travis Hunter, the cornerback that Travis Hunter is like the Big Mac with fries,” Browne adds. The staple meal that anyone would love.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
As a CB? Hunter is the cream of the crop, and no one comes close to that. Yes, in the receiver corps, he has pulled massive plays, but on defense, this guy is nearly impossible to dodge. This is exactly where his draft pick will come down to. The only thing we are left to see is which team snatches him up.
Going Top 3 but for which team?
Pick up those crystal balls and let’s play fortune-teller. With Mel Kiper’s draft list out, Hunter has been dropped as the 2nd pick in the draft order and has been paired with a lucky $5.2 billion franchise: the Cleveland Browns. This might seem very controversial.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
More so because of the Browns? Their biggest question mark is their QB position. And this is what Shannon Sharpe said in his Nightcap podcast: “Many scouts believe that the Browns will take Travis Hunter No.2 overall and focus on a quarterback later in the draft.” However, if they take a chance on Hunter, there is a possibility their franchise could get that much-needed shakeup. But then another question pops up: What position does he go for?
If we are to purely go off of Browne’s analogy, then picking Hunter as CB makes the most sense. Use his talents on the defense BUT sprinkle here and there in the offense as well. Will it work out? From what we and other fans have witnessed? It can’t be worse than the Browns 3-14 season.
Have something to say?
Let the world know your perspective.
ADVERTISEMENT
Debate
Can Travis Hunter's two-way magic translate to the NFL, or is it just college hype?
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
What’s your perspective on:
Can Travis Hunter's two-way magic translate to the NFL, or is it just college hype?
Have an interesting take?