Well, when it comes to Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter, that ear-to-ear charming grin and quick wit are just the start of his larger-than-life presence. But maybe the universe is plotting to wipe that smile away. Long before the 2025 NFL draft, Hunter was riding the NFL hype train. Then things took a turn after the Buffs’ standout went viral for his cocky take on MLB star Shohei Ohtani: “Ohtani, he’s a great player, but you gotta do a lot in football.” Yeah, that was just the beginning. Ever since, Hunter’s draft stock has taken a hit. Doubts about his two-way ability at the pro level and even his relationship with fiancée Leanna Lenee have come under public scrutiny. While he was still grappling with that overwhelming attention and headlines, a rival of the same age stole the spotlight. Now, can you blame the analysts? Of course not. After all, Hunter is still undecided about which position to pursue in the pro league.

Maybe the stars just aren’t lining up right for the 21-year-old Buffs’ star. After all, both Hunter and his teammate, Shedeur, are often criticized for their high confidence. He hasn’t been without support, though. For instance, last month in March, Jacksonville Jaguars HC, and now-commentator Urban Meyer showered the Buffs’ dual threat with praise. He said, “It would be hard for me to not take Travis Hunter with that first pick. I love that guy. I think he’s a once-in-a-generation, once-in-a-lifetime player. He can do things that I’ve not seen people do. His stamina, the quality of kid [he is]. I’ve done some homework on him.” But it’s high time Hunter woke up from his sweet dreams. On April 10, an analyst burst the bubble the dual-threat had been living in.

The Patriots on CLNS Media podcast hosted Dane Brugler from The Athletic. The topic of discussion? The New England Patriots and their interest in landing Hunter as the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft. In fact, he is probably at the top of their wish list. But Mike Vrabel might have to swallow the bitter pill. There is a very good chance that Hunter is off the board by the time the Patriots are on the clock. If they want to count on Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, there, too, they might not be lucky. That’s when Brugler said, “Let’s take Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter out of the conversation.”

He continued, “Let’s say they go two and three in whatever order; I do think a case should be made for Ashton Jeanty. A player like that who just can impact your roster in such a profound way.” So, whom does Brugler envision as Vrabel’s backup plan if they fail in Mission Hunter? It’s none other than the Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The analyst sounded all confident while saying, “I think something that doesn’t get talked nearly enough with Jeanty is how much he impacts the passing game. They didn’t use him as much this year catching the football out of the backfield. It was mostly just what he could do with his legs. But teams compare him to kind of like a LaDainian Tomlinson with what he does as a pass catcher.”

The RB is coming off as a dark horse with a strong resume of having racked up 2,602 yards and 29 touchdowns. Not just Tomlinson. On The Rich Eisen Show, a day earlier, Brugler ended up comparing Jeanty with two other legends. “Not every team is going to be comfortable drafting a running back that high. But Jeanty, when teams talk about him, they talk about him like Saquon Barkley and how we talked about Bijan Robinson. A guy that could be a true difference maker.” Time for some stats comparison. Jeanty comes off with a breakaway percentage of 47.3% and 4.78. Now, this is close to Saquon Barkley’s 54.9% and 3.51 and Bijan Robinson’s 43.3% and 4.40. Beyond the stats, confidence plays a huge role here.

The clock is ticking for Travis Hunter 

When it comes to Jeanty, the 21-year-old held a clear notion about what he wants to achieve in the pro league. Back in November last year, he shared about his interest in landing with the Arizona Cardinals. The Boise State running back confessed, “I could get down with Kyler [Murray].” Jeanty had his eyes set on one particular goal. “You know we’re going to be the shortest backfield in the NFL.” Even though his Cardinals dream is highly likely to not come true, it doesn’t matter. At least he was sure about his wants. And now, here comes Hunter….

The Buffs’ dual threat is still in two minds about which position to roll on with. Some NFL teams are pulling the Heisman hopeful into offensive meetings first, while others have him chatting with the defensive coaches right off the bat. If you ask Hunter, he’ll still tell you he’s a natural on both sides of the ball and can kill it at either. “They want to see how much I can handle, and it’s up to me at this point. It’s just me being me.” 

While most of the programs put pressure on Travis Hunter to choose just one side of the field, $5.15 billion comes off as the Messiah. That’s none other than the Cleveland Browns.

Back in February, the Browns general manager, Andrew Berry, sounded confident about Hunter’s two-way prowess. “He can play both, and I think that’s what makes him special. We would see him as a receiver primarily first, but I think part of, again, what makes him a bit of a unicorn is the fact that he can do both at a high level.” However, the Buffs’ dual threat cannot pin all his stakes on Cleveland. Hunter needs to decide: offense, defense, or miss the moment.