Travis Hunter, a name you could easily associate with college football, is proving to be a two-way player for the Colorado Buffaloes. Before his time in the college that made him famous, the University of Colorado Boulder, Hunter was in Georgia attending Collins Hill High School. Hunter, when at Collins Hill, was not an ordinary player; he was a game-changer who had the ability of a wide receiver and cornerback. In high school, he had tremendous performance and he won a state title in his last year thus making him one of the most sought-after players in the country.

Hunter’s prowess in the field did not go unnoticed. Coming out of high school as the highly touted, highest-rated player of the 2022 recruiting class, his choice to attend Jackson State University was revolutionary. Committing himself to play for NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, Hunter ignored offers from some of the most popular programs in the country including Florida State, which had long been considered the frontrunner for his commitment.

Collins Hill High School: the starting point of Hunter’s career

In the years at Collins Hill High School, it was easy to note the athletic potential in Travis Hunter. For his senior, Hunter performed under the tutelage of Coach Lenny Gregory to register a 15-0 record. He had a duality in playing in that he played both as the wide receiver and the cornerback, a rather rare thing to achieve even at the high school level. Hunter’s senior year was particularly notable, he had over 1,700 yards receiving and scored 24 touchdowns from the offense side while he registered 19 interceptions in his entire high school year.

Hunter’s impact on the field was complemented by his leadership and work ethic off the field. He was known for his commitment to improving his game, spending countless hours in the gym and on the practice field. His hard work did not go unrewarded; he received many awards such as the MaxPreps National Player of the Year. This recognition long placed him among the country’s best recruits to which many colleges sought to sign him. Ultimately, it was his relationship with Deion Sanders and the opportunity to make history at Jackson State that influenced his decision, a move that surprised many in the college football world.

Going to Jackson State and further

Selecting Jackson State over traditional powerhouses was an audacious decision that went to the extent of demonstrating Travis Hunter’s willingness to set his course. Hunter returned to College at Jackson State where he continued to train under his former mentor Coach Deion Sanders. But this was not a decision solely related to football; it was much more than that: it was about coming out with a statement. Hunter’s decision to attend an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) put a spotlight on Jackson State and highlighted the potential for top-tier talent to succeed outside the Power Five conferences.

At Jackson State University, Hunter was also very vibrant and scored as highly as was expected of him. Since he could compete on the offense as well as on defense, he was compared to Charles Woodson. As Coach Sanders put it, “Travis is HIM,” a testament to the belief that Hunter is one of the best players in the country. The journey from Collins Hill to Colorado has been nothing short of extraordinary, and Travis Hunter’s story is still being written.