Where do you put a player who thrives as both an elite cornerback and a game-breaking wide receiver? That’s how it feels to be a team with the first overall pick of the draft. And that’s Travis Hunter for y’all, making the NFL ask questions they don’t have easy answers to. How do you quantify his value in a league that demands specialization? The Heisman winner did things at Colorado Buffs that had never been done before, playing nearly equal snaps on offense and defense, dominating at both, and making it all look effortless. But as the draft process unfolds, the conversation around him has shifted from awe to uncertainty. And that uncertainty is costing him.

The great two-way ‘unicorn’ is listed at cornerback for the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine. But he’s planning to work out as both a WR and CB. He wants to show off both sides, so he’s doing two sets of drills on different days, which might also give him time to recover and get ready for each one. Now that’s the double-edged sword he carries. And teams with the top 2 picks, like the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, can’t seem to agree on how to classify him. Yes, he is in his own category; that’s how special he is, but NFL Rookie Watch added fuel today on X by writing that Hunter’s stock has taken a significant hit, with at least one scout saying he has “essentially no chance” of going first overall.

Teams are “split” about him. “CB’s/WR’s just don’t go 1st overall anymore. The positional value isn’t there,” the scout noted. “He’s a Top-2 talent, but it’s going to be a QB or Edge at 1.1.” That sentiment echoes a growing consensus in front offices. There comes the pendulum of choices. Cleveland’s general manager Andrew Berry sees Hunter’s future tilted toward offense. “His superpower really is ba-l skills,” Berry told reporters, emphasizing how a receiver gets far more opportunities to impact a game than a cornerback.

“[Wide receiver is] a position where you can use it 100 times during the season versus maybe 30.” Berry’s stance makes sense—Hunter’s ability to create separation, high-point receptions, and track deep throws is already NFL-caliber. If Cleveland were to take him, it’s clear they’d lean toward utilizing him primarily as a playmaker on offense. Now, things are different in Tennessee. The Navy blues sees a different path. “He probably starts at corner,” Titans head coach Brian Callahan said.

That stance aligns with the league-wide philosophy that elite cornerbacks are more valuable than receivers, especially in a draft class loaded with offensive firepower. But even Callahan acknowledged that Hunter’s role would evolve. “As he gets more comfortable, he plays more and more offensively,” he added. The idea of using him on both sides isn’t off the table, but it’s clear that the Titans view him first and foremost as a defensive weapon.

That divide—offensive star versus defensive cornerstone—is what’s clouding Hunter’s draft outlook. His Heisman-winning season was historic, featuring 688 defensive snaps and 672 offensive snaps for Deion Sanders Buffs. But NFL teams aren’t built to accommodate a true two-way player at the highest level. Even the most creative minds in the league are struggling to map out a full-time role for him. “It’s six one way, half-dozen another,” Berry said. “He can play both.”

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“He’s a unique player,” Callahan said. “There’s not many guys who have played that many snaps on both sides of the ba-l.” That’s both a testament to his talent and an admission of the challenge he presents. But once the dust settles, it’ll be up to the team that takes him to figure out what the rest of the league couldn’t.

Andrew Berry calls Travis Hunter a “Unicorn”

The Cleveland Browns are sitting pretty with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and speculation is running wild about who they might take. One of the most electrifying names in the conversation? Colorado’s two-way phenom. GM Andrew Berry had plenty to say about Hunter when speaking with reporters, and he didn’t hold back on just how special the Buffaloes’ star is.

“I’d say this in terms of Travis Hunter—cornerback or receiver? I’d say the answer is yes,” Berry said. “He can play both, and I think that’s what makes him special. We would see him as a wide receiver primarily first. Again, what makes him a bit of a unicorn is the fact that he can do both at a high level.”

Hunter has spent his entire college career defying positional norms, refusing to be boxed in as just a corner or just a receiver. It’s what makes him one of the most unique prospects in years. If Cleveland truly sees him as an offensive weapon first, it could set the stage for a fascinating NFL career trajectory.