If you’re Travis Hunter, life ain’t simple right now. The Heisman-winning, two-way phenom is on the verge of making the biggest decision of his football career, and the NFL world is waiting on edge. Does he lock in as CB1 or WR1 at the next level? Or does he keep defying football logic, playing both sides? That’s the million-dollar question. And while the draft hype is reaching a fever pitch, his mother, Ferrante Edmonds, is turning to faith after a new draft shakeup threw a curveball at her son’s future. But before we get to that…

Standing at 6’1”, 185 pounds, Hunter was simply phenomenal for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024. On offense, he torched defenses with 96 catches, 1,258 yards, and 15 touchdowns. With 688 snaps on defense, he locked up WR1s across the country with 31 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and four interceptions. Oh, and just to flex some more, he won Associated Press Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while catching double-digit touchdowns.

But look, the NFL ain’t college football. You can’t be guarding Xavier Worthy on one snap and then running a route on Trent McDuffie on the next. That might work in the short term, but long term? The wear and tear could cut his career in half. ESPN’s Todd McShay put it bluntly: “Where are we gonna play him? I mean, that’s the big question… He was pitched as a corner coming out of high school… but I actually think he’s a better wide receiver right now.”

However, Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson had noted back in December last year, “I don’t want to say what the man can’t do. We just watched him do it in college. I would prefer that he didn’t. If I was an NFL team, having a guy as talented as him, I would play him on defense. But I would have some packages for him on offense. He’s too talented of a player not to use at all on offense. But I wouldn’t put him out there full-time on offense and defense. The NFL is, just in terms of the physical nature of the game, guys’ body styles are much more mature, there’s a different speed of the game, just because guys are much better at every level of the game.”

“So, I wouldn’t try to play him every snap, but I would put him out there; I’d play him some snaps on offense,” he concluded.

Well, a lot of insiders have a lot of opinions, but now with the NFL Combine approaching, Hunter has to make a decision—and quick. But looks like he already did….

As of now, all eyes are on Hunter’s 40-yard dash. As per a February 3 X update from ‘NFL Rookie Watch’ where the 21-year-old was seen working on his talents, “Travis Hunter looks READY for the NFL Combine. Hunter is reportedly “targeting” between a 4.25 and a 4.35 40-yard dash at the combine this year. Hunter is reportedly “planning on” entering and working out as a CB at the combine. However Hunter reportedly “won’t budge as of now” and wants to play both offense and defense FULL-TIME in the NFL. The Colorado DB/WR is an absolute UNICORN of a prospect 🍿”.

Well, looks like the cornerback position is calling Hunter as of now. Notably, this goes against what the young star has always envisioned for himself. Back in September last year, the two-way college star had said, “My goal is to continue to be a two-way player. If given the opportunity, I’d strive to continue making an impact on both ends of the field, helping my team wherever they need me most. One of my greatest strengths is my versatility as a player, and I love the challenge of learning and excelling in both roles and pushing my limits.”

Having said that, if the former Buffs player can indeed pull off a staggering 4.25 and 4.35, that would put him in straight-up Tyreek Hill territory (4.29 seconds). That kind of speed at corner? Dangerous. But even with all that heat, he’s got company. Crazy right?

For months, Hunter was seen as the no-doubt No. 1 overall pick, but Penn State’s Abdul Carter just shook up the whole game. Carter, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has scouts talking. The Pennsylvania native racked up 12 sacks, 43 solo tackles, and two forced fumbles in 2024, and now some mock drafts have him leapfrogging Hunter for the top pick.

McShay even hinted at it, saying, “With Abdul, you know what you’ve got, and you’ve got an absolute stud as a pass rusher, just like intangibles and everything that he brings. And it’s hard to—not hard to find. It’s not a unicorn. But when you can get one, you get one.”

Some mock drafts now have Carter going No. 1, ahead of Hunter. And let’s just say that news had Hunter’s mom, Ferrante Edmonds, turning straight to faith…

Mama Hunter’s faith and Deion Sanders’ stance on Travis Hunter’s future

With the draft buzz shifting, Ferrante Edmonds took to IG and delivered a powerful message. “The doors that God have for you, nobody can shut. So why are you worrying about addressing something that ain’t gonna bring you glory… I don’t have time to go back. If I go back, I’m missing the blessing that God have for me.” That was Ferrante’s response after hearing the latest draft updates. She doubled down with some deep wisdom: “It’s never too late to write your story, so write your story. Don’t allow other people to get their pen and write you.” Translation? The blessing that God stored for you will find you. Don’t let naysayers and other people write your path for you.

And one man who has zero doubts about Hunter’s ability to do both? Deion Sanders.

Back in December, Coach Prime went on The Rich Eisen Show and basically sent out an NFL-wide PSA: “He’s gonna do that (play both ways), or they shouldn’t draft him. Don’t draft him if you’re not gonna give him the opportunity to play on both sides of the ba-l. Now, you can be creative. He don’t have to do what we did with him here and play every snap.” Prime basically told NFL teams to let Hunter be Hunter or keep it pushing. But let’s be real—NFL coaches aren’t exactly in the business of experimenting at the expense of their jobs.

So what’s the move? If Travis Hunter goes all-in at being a cornerback, he could be the next shutdown guy in the league. If he sticks with the wide receiver position, he could be a highlight reel waiting to happen. If he actually tries to do both? He’s either the next great NFL innovator or the next cautionary tale of doing too much.

Either way, Hunter’s got a generational decision on his hands, and the football world is about to find out just how far his two-way dream can go.