Travis Hunter’s NFL Future: One Position? Nah, That’s Not His Style…

Some guys are built for one role. The NFL thrives on specialists—pass rushers who live in the backfield, corners who erase receivers, QBs who light up the field from under center, and then their security blankets. The TEs. And Rob Gronkowski? The artist who mastered the art of TE. But every once in a while, a player comes along who refuses to be put in a box.

Enter Travis Hunter—the ultimate Swiss Army knife. He’s not just versatile. That’d be an understatement. You can call him a full-blown football anomaly. Lockdown corner? Done. Game-breaking receiver? Easy. Special teams weapon? Just hand him the ball. So, how do you game plan for a guy who can do everything? Simple—you don’t. You just pray he doesn’t take over the game.

With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, the debate is heating up. Will Hunter play both ways in the league? Some scouts remain unconvinced. The workload, the conditioning, the risk—it’s a lot. But Hunter? He’s never cared about what’s normal. And he’s got some serious backing. Tim Tebow—Heisman winner, former QB, and all-around football junkie—went all in on Hunter’s potential. “I would love to see it,” Tebow said on USA TODAY. “I’m rooting for him to do both because it would be fun.” If nothing else, the NFL could use more fun.

But can it actually work in the NFL? Rob Gronkowski chimed in with his take. “You know, at least he should have a package on one side of the ball… It’ll be too hard to go both ways and play all downs on both sides, but there’s a lot of players who did that. Julian Edelman back in the day played offense, played defense, played special teams sporadically, all over the place.” Gronk’s not wrong.

The idea of a true two-way player in the modern NFL is wild, but not impossible. The last time we saw it on a serious level? Deion Sanders, and we all know how that turned out. Then, there is Charles Woodson, who had an offensive package. But he wasn’t running full-time routes. And Patrick Peterson? A lethal returner and had the skills to play receiver, never took on a full offensive role.

But there’s a middle ground, too. Julian Edelman didn’t play every snap on both sides, but he was everywhere when it mattered—offense, defense, special teams. Need a clutch third-down grab? Edelman. Need a punt return? Edelman. Need a tackle in a pinch? Edelman. In 2011, he even lined up at cornerback for the Patriots, finishing with 18 tackles (compare that to 36 tackles for Hunter in the ’24 season). That’s the kind of role Hunter could thrive in.

You see, he started as a quarterback in college, then became one of the most clutch receivers in NFL history. Well, he was Tom Brady’s weapon. So, he must have earned that title BIG TIME! And he did… 6,800 receiving yards, won a Super Bowl MVP, and even moonlighted on defense when the Patriots needed him. And let’s not forget special teams—2,600 return yards and four touchdowns just for fun. If anyone proved a player could wear multiple hats and thrive, it was Edelman.

But here’s the thing—Edelman only played defense sparingly. Hunter? He wants to be a legitimate two-way player. That’s a different beast. No one has done it consistently in the modern era. So, what’s the right move for Hunter? A full-time two-way player might be a stretch. Playing every snap on both offense and defense? Even he might admit that’s asking a lot. But a defensive back with an offensive package? Now we’re talking. Maybe that’s why Gronk has another player in mind that the Pats under Mike Vrabel can go after.

Rob Gronkowski has a solution for Mike Vrabel… It’s not Travis Hunter

The Patriots are sitting on a golden ticket. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is theirs, and with it comes endless possibilities. Travis Hunter? Sure, he’s the flashy name. A once-in-a-generation athlete who can play both ways. But Rob Gronkowski? He’s thinking differently.

On Up & Adams, he laid out a different plan. “You can do Travis Hunter… or you trade back, and you stack it up with a couple of guys. Maybe like Tetairoa McMillan… and then also you get an offensive tackle as well.” But that’s some exciting play-call. Two for the price of one. That’s Gronk’s play.

Now, is there a little Arizona bias in there? Sure. But McMillan’s stats speak for themselves. The guy torched defenses last season—84 catches, 1,319 yards, and 10 touchdowns. His season opener? A mind-blowing 304-yard, four-touchdown performance. So, that’s the kind of production the Patriots desperately need. I mean, well, do we really need to talk about that? They ranked dead last in receiving yards per game. Plus, Drake Maye needs weapons to cook. In addition to that, he needs protection. Trading back and grabbing both could fix two problems at once.

So, you can see why Gronk’s not alone in this thinking. He and Julian Edelman broke it down on Dudes on Dudes. They’re all in on new head coach Mike Vrabel but made one thing clear—protecting Maye has to be priority No. 1. “We gotta get some linemen,” Edelman said. The Patriots have cap space. They have their quarterback. Now, they need to build a wall around him and give him some real targets. McMillan? A lineman? That’s a foundation.

But let’s be real—passing on Hunter won’t be easy. Guys like him don’t come around often. He’s electric. Versatile. Box-office. But the Patriots aren’t just one piece away. They’re rebuilding. Trading back could set them up for years. And with teams likely willing to throw the sun, moon, and stars for that No. 1 pick, the Patriots are in a power position.

So, what’s the move? Go all-in on a generational talent or play the long game? Vrabel’s got a big decision ahead. Gronk and Edelman have spoken. Now, it’s up to the Patriots to make the call.