The Colorado Buffaloes saw their second-ever Heisman winner come out of the 2024 season in two-way star Travis Hunter, who has made it known that he wants to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL, just as he did on the college gridiron.
While Hunter’s wish to play both cornerback and wide receiver full-time in the NFL might not be possible, there is a chance that he could take on a primary role while playing the other in a smaller capacity, though one analyst made Hunter’s case as a wide receiver.
Todd McShay’s Case on Travis Hunter Playing WR
During the regular season, Hunter played 94% of the offensive snaps and 92.9% of the defensive plays in the games he was active. Analyst Todd McShay shared his view as he sat down with Rich Eisen on his eponymous show on Jan. 31 to discuss Hunter’s best position.
After naming Hunter as the best offensive weapon of the 2025 draft pool, McShay said:
“Where are we gonna play him? I mean, that’s the big question because I look at him right now based off of tape, and you would think it would be cornerback. It’s his best spot, he was pitched as a cornerback coming out of high school and it was all about his cornerback skills, and he is a dynamic player on that side of the ball. I actually think, Richie, that he’s a better wide receiver right now.”
McShay further said that, while Hunter’s primary position is cornerback, whichever team is in need of a defensive athlete that picks him should find a way to get him involved offensively as a WR.
“So if Hunter truly is going to be a generational talent, I think it’s going to have to be cornerback and then putting in a set of plays every week to try to get him the ball,” McShay told Eisen. “Get it in his hands and maybe, you know, it’s 10-12 plays on the offensive side of the ball, but he’s the most dynamic playmaker in the entire draft.”
Should @TravisHunterJr actually play primarily wide receiver in the #NFL?
The @ringernfl #NFLDraft analyst made the case:#SeniorBowl #SBLIX pic.twitter.com/fJmz2JqJdl
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) January 31, 2025
Hunter recorded 1,258 yards on 96 receptions and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. On the defensive side, he made 35 tackles, 24 of which were solo, and also defended 11 passes in the 2024 season. The dual threat’s receiving stats have ranked him fifth across all conferences, directly behind Jeremiah Smith, whose team, Ohio State, won the 2024 CFP National Championship.
In Pro Football Network’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft, Chris Dodson projects Hunter to be selected as the No. 3 overall player by the Tennessee Titans (who trade down via the New York Giants).
The franchise president, Chad Brinker, recently mentioned that the team would not pass up on a “generational talent,” which could very well refer to Hunter, as the other top picks in the draft are two quarterbacks, a position the Titans arguably do not need as desperately.
