Touted to be one of the top Heisman Trophy candidates this year, Travis Hunter and his talents protrude in the team. The Buffs had a difficult campaign last year, but their two-way star Hunter stood out, making history in the process. Deion Sanders has already labeled him as the best player in the nation and he is already projected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. But is Hunter ready to make the step up from college football to the pro league?

It was Hunter’s efforts that helped the Boulder program stave off further embarrassment than their 4-8 record last season. He is already preparing to put on a strong show this year to help his side improve their position this time. His exceptional abilities on both the wide-receiving end and the cornerback end make him a strong asset and the Buffs’ defensive coordinator Robert Livingston thinks Hunter is a “unicorn.”

Robert Livingston thinks Travis Hunter can do anything he wants to

On July 31, Robert Livingston was seen on the stand during the Colorado Football Conference and answered questions about the team and the upcoming season. In one such segment, he was asked whether he thought Travis was NFL-ready or not since he’s one of the highest-ranked players this year.

As per the defensive coordinator, Hunter’s capabilities allow him to reach for the stars and do anything he sets his mind to. Livingston said, “I think Travis could do anything he wants to do. I talked about it, I think Travis is a unicorn. We had a spring academic meeting, Travis goes up there, is a 4.0 student, Travis, takes every play in practice. I think Travis can do anything.”

It does appear Travis Hunter can do anything, on the football field anyway. Last season on offense he caught five touchdown passes and on defense, he made three interceptions. What’s special about this you ask? Well, this feat had not been accomplished since Georgia cornerback/receiver Champ Bailey did it in 1998. It brought Hunter the Paul Hornung Award, as the nation’s most versatile player.

Thus, Livingston is right to show faith in the star WR/CB, who might just be their most dominant hand during the 2024 season. Reiterating his stance the DC added, “So yeah, I don’t want to put bulletin (board material) on his back or anything like that. But yeah, I think Travis can do just about anything.”

Apart from Livingston, Coach Prime, once himself a two-way player in the NFL, had high praise for Hunter. Talking to ESPN’s Pete Thamel at Big 12 Media Days on July 10. Sanders said, “He can improve consistency. We’re praying that he stays away from injury that you saw last season. But the kid is, to me, the best football player in the nation. And I think we have two of the top football players in the nation. You’re gonna see a couple more catapult themselves into that early first round. We have those type of players in our locker room.”

Last season, Hunter suffered an injury during the Buffs’ Week 3 win over Colorado State after a late hit from Rams safety Henry Blackburn. He was sidelined with a lacerated kidney and missed three games during which his team went 1-2. Although he did return against Stanford but struggled on the defensive side of the ball. With him in the side, the Buffs had got off to an impressive 3-0 start, before being derailed and ended up with a 4-8 record and finished bottom of the Pac -12.

With the season just around the corner, the Buffs fans will hope Hunter stays fit and avoids any such injuries not only for the team’s sake but also for his own. A season hampered by injury will do little for his NFL prospects next year. On the other hand, a fit Hunter helping Colorado stack up the wins column raises his stock and helps the program progress. To help him stay away from injuries on the field, Sanders already has a plan.

Source: Imago

Recognizing the importance of Hunter, Coach Prime relayed clear instructions to his team so that their prized asset doesn’t end up taking unnecessary hits. Speaking to the team during practice on the first day of August he said, “We in pads we having contact. Take care of your guys. Like I’m gonna tell you do not touch the receivers. Don’t get near the quarterback and leave Travis alone.”

The Buffs coaching staff are backing and showing faith in Hunter’s abilities. If he can stay healthy, he will be a force to be reckoned with both in college football and hopefully in the NFL next year. With that being said, here’s what NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah also praised Hunter and compared him to an NFL star.

Travis Hunter gets compared to the Jets’ Garrett Wilson

During the 2023 season, Hunter recorded great numbers for the Colorado Buffaloes. He ended up catching 57 passes for 721 yards and finishing with five touchdowns. On the defensive end, he totaled 31 tackles, along with three interceptions and five defended passes. These stats are the reason why the hype surrounds him, and if he goes on to perform brilliantly this season, if not better, he could very well be the next Garrett Wilson in the NFL.

Daniel Jeremiah showered Hunter with a song of praise when he chose the New York Jets wideout as the perfect example to equate the Colorado star’s playing style with. He said, “I know this is lofty praise, but his movement skills and run-after-catch ability remind me of Garrett Wilson when he was coming out of Ohio State. I believe Wilson is on the cusp of being a top-five NFL wideout if he’s not there already. I see similar traits and tools when Hunter is on the offensive side of the ball.”

If the Buffaloes go on to perform the way the fans expect them to this season, Jeremiah’s predictions could come true and see Travis Hunter be the face of the WRs in this current generation of the NFL.