Easily the most unique prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft class is Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter.
Hunter played wide receiver and cornerback for the Buffaloes, but there are questions about whether he can sustain this level of play at the pro level.
As a WR, he finished the 2024 campaign with 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. Meanwhile, he recorded 11 passes defended, four interceptions, and a forced fumble on the defensive side of the ball.
Many people anticipate Hunter playing the majority of his snaps at DB while having a specialized package of routes at WR. If that’s the case, he could go off the board later than expected.
NFL Analyst Predicts Massive Draft Day Slide for Travis Hunter
It would come as a shock if the Tennessee Titans select Hunter at No. 1 because of their need for a franchise quarterback. Miami Hurricanes QB Cam Ward and Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders are the two most likely candidates for the pick.
NFL analyst Connor Hughes of SNY predicted a potential selection swap between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, taking Sanders and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter off the board. The real shock Hughes proposed is the New England Patriots passing on the Georgia native, allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to nab him at No. 5.
“The Patriots have their franchise quarterback. Now they need to get him some weapons,” Hughes wrote. “Travis Hunter is an option here, but some believe he’ll be more of a corner in the NFL than receiver. [Tetairoa McMillan] is the best wideout in the class. He’s coming off a season where he caught 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns.”
Some view McMillan as the top true WR in the class. However, there’s a strong argument that the Arizona Wildcats’ deep threat has a lower ceiling than Hunter due to his lack of versatility.
This Is the Dream Scenario for Jacksonville
Many thought the Jaguars and Houston Texans would be battling it out for the AFC South title. Instead, the Jaguars concluded the year with a disappointing 4-13 record, good for No. 3 in the division (ahead of the Titans).
Because of this, the Jaguars fired head coach Doug Pederson. The hope is former No. 1 pick and hopeful franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence can put this season behind him and return to making progress on his sophomore and junior campaigns, especially if the Jaguars land a top coaching candidate. They interviewed with Lions OC Ben Johnson on Saturday, Jan. 11.
We have completed an interview with Ben Johnson for our Head Coach vacancy. pic.twitter.com/QNe10WmJQs
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 11, 2025
Adding a generational threat on both sides of the ball in Hunter fills multiple voids. Jacksonville is not in desperate need of a franchise wideout after Brian Thomas Jr. thrived in his rookie year, going for more than 1,000 yards. This means Hunter can focus more of his development on defense under whoever the next head coach of the Jaguars may be if he were selected by the Jags.