Pressure isn’t going away anytime soon. That’s especially true for Travis Hunter, who’s stuck in a rift between passion and wealth ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. As he anticipates his name to be called by the New England Patriots at No. 4, a new wrinkle has emerged. A standout Texas DB just made a compelling case for himself at the Longhorns’ Pro Day. Is he the best defensive back in this class? Mike Vrabel might be watching him closely. 

If Travis Hunter cements himself as a strict CB, he’s the first defensive back off the board. If he goes as a WR, Jahdae Barron enters the conversation as the first. But while the draft process is beyond his control, the Texas standout left no doubt about his self-belief. “I most definitely believe that I am CB1,” he declared on his Pro Day. And he’s adamant on it. 

On April 2, nflnetwork shared an intriguing message by Jahdae Barron in an Instagram post. His statement screamed confidence—“People try to label CB1, nickel, safety—I mean, in my eyes, I’m DB1. I can do a lot, I’m very productive,” he said. “I didn’t get here myself. When I got here, a lot of people play a lot of roles in… My coach, coach Joseph, coach Gideon, and Coach Sark just developed me to be the player that I am today. At the University of Texas, they were always there to develop us.” Terry Joseph, Blake Gideon, and Steve Sarkisian all played crucial roles in developing this explosive defensive playmaker.

Jahdae Barron’s senior season stats speak for themselves—67 tackles, five picks, and 11 pass breakups splitting time between outside corner and slot. He also upped his hype by winning Defensive MVP honors in the Peach Bowl and earning 2024 First-Team AP All-American honors. The ability to thrive in multiple roles makes the 23-year-old one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in the draft. That’s something that would intrigue Mike Vrabel, per his opinion of versatile players. 

Vrabel attended Texas Pro Day, evaluating multiple prospects. Jahdae Barron was one among the seven prospects, including Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond, preparing for this year’s draft. Yeah, the Patriots have a need at OT and WR, but the skill set and experience of the 5’11, 200-pound Jim Thorpe Award winner might be too good to pass. His three-year tenure in Austin and 2,400+ defensive snaps make him a tried-and-tested option in an evolving NFL landscape. But then, there’s Travis Hunter.

Will Travis Hunter follow the $161M bait or his passion?

As a two-way star, Travis Hunter’s talent is undeniable. And he’s mentioned more than once that he wishes to play both sides. But the general perception is that his future hinges on positional value. After all, WRs command top-dollar contracts. Think about JaMarr Chase’s $161M extension.

But Deion Sanders has stated that teams who can play his multi-positional player both ways should draft him while others can forget about it. And Mike Vrabel is okay with that situation—“Never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player. As much as they can handle, we’re going to continue to put more on their plate.” 

If the Patriots buy into the experiment, Travis Hunter could be their ultimate game-changer. If they hesitate, Jahdae Barron’s rising stock might force them to reconsider their first-round pick. With the draft fast approaching, Mike Vrabel and his team are at a crossroads. Will they embrace Travis Hunter’s two-way dominance, or will the Texas DB stun the world with an early pick? For now, the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks are high on him, but we never know. Either way, the stakes are high, as they always are in college football. Only time will tell us who’s the best fit for which team.