2-Way Star Travis Hunter Is Named Top College Football Player in the Nation

20-year-old Travis Hunter was ranked the No. 1 recruit nationally in the 2022 class by 247Sports and Rivals. He is renowned as a two-way player. He plays both wide receiver and cornerback.  After initially committing to play for Florida State, Hunter decided to play for Deion Sanders (“Coach Prime”) at Jackson State. The fact that the nation’s top overall recruit decided to play for an FCS program drew national media attention.

In his freshman season at Jackson State, Hunter was the Tigers’ “primary playmaker” on both sides of the ball.

When Coach Prime was hired to take the head coaching job at Colorado in 2023, Hunter followed him and his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

For the Buffaloes, Hunter had 57 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns. On defense, he made 31 tackles and snagged three interceptions.

Hunter won the Paul Hornung Award in 2023. The award is bestowed upon the most versatile player in the nation. He was also a consensus All-American.

In rating Hunter as the top player going into the 2024 season, CBS Sports refers to him as “a generational player[.]” and a “silky-smooth corner, [who] is excellent in press coverage.” He is a stand-out defender and receiver. He is also a return specialist.

Hunter Cashes In With Lucrative NIL Deal

This past December, Hunter entered into an NIL deal with FreeForm Sports.

On3 assesses the annual value of Hunter’s NIL deal at $2.4 million.

Hunter’s teammate, Shedeur Sanders (Coach Prime’s son), had a $3.8 million NIL deal last year. That was even more than USC’s Caleb Williams, whose NIL deal in 2023 was worth approximately $2.6 million.

Hunter’s Bright Future

Sports Illustrated believes “Hunter could be the first player to play both ways consistently in the NFL.”

Regardless, he will be a hot commodity in the 2025 NFL Draft.