As NFL fans await Week 1, those who watched Colorado versus TCU on Saturday were treated to a potential top-10 draft pick for 2025 — at two different positions.
Travis Hunter — under a 100 degree sun in Fort Worth and playing 110 total plays — torched the national title game runner-up with 119 receiving yards. Defense, too? No problem. He snatched a red-zone interception in the 45-42 stunner of the Horned Frogs, which originally listed Hunter’s Buffaloes as a 21-point underdog.
The 2022 No. 1 overall prospect delivered his breakout moments in front of another past two-way dynamo who now coaches him, Deion Sanders, who earned his first win as Colorado head coach. Hunter’s performance got social media ablaze and got many chiming in…including former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant. But included in Bryant’s praise was a strong suggestion the perennial Pro Bowl sent to CU.
Dez Bryant Believes Hunter Is Better Suited at This Spot on the Field Moving Forward
Bryant became captivated by Hunter’s dominance and acknowledged he’s a two-way beast on the field. Yet, Bryant believes Colorado should place a cap on how much Hunter is out there.
“Travis Hunter got the talent to play both side of the ball, but you have to manage how to use him in certain situations,” Bryant said on X.
Where does Bryant believe Hunter is best suited at moving forward?
“I’ll make him a full time DB,” Bryant said.
Still, that doesn’t officially mean Sanders and CU should avoid using him on offense completely.
Bryant’s suggestion when the Buffaloes have the ball? He suggests “build situational packages on offense based off down and distance from the end zone.”
But Bryant himself joined in on saying four words that became popular among many social media accounts:
“Travis Hunter is him,” he posted.
TRAVIS HUNTER GOT THE TALENT TO PLAY BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL BUT YOU HAVE TO MANAGE HOW TO USE HIM IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS
ILL MAKE HIM A FULL TIME DB
BUILD SITUATIONAL PACKAGES ON OFFENSE
BASED OFF DOWN AND DISTANCE FROM THE ENDZONE
TRAVIS HUNTER IS HIM
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) September 2, 2023
That wasn’t his only posts about Hunter. “Legendary” was one word he used below.
TRAVIS HUNTER COULD HAVE HAD A LEGENDARY GAME
HE HAD SOME BIG PLAYS THAT COULD HAVE CHANGE THE PACE OF THE GAME
HE GOT SOME GREAT FILM TO WATCH
GREAT ATHLETE!
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) September 2, 2023
NFL Insider Immediately Anoints Hunter Top-Five Pick — Which Spot?
Here’s the downside for NFL scouts who will watch a Colorado game from the press box moving forward, plus pro football fans hoping for Hunter down the road: He’s not eligible to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
Because he’s a true sophomore, Hunter gets one more collegiate season to fulfill the league rule of completing three seasons at the college level.
Already, ESPN NFL insider Field Yates has released his short list of top-five picks for the ’25 NFL Draft:
My 2025 NFL Mock Draft:
1. ATH Travis Hunter
2. QB Shadeur Sanders— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 2, 2023
Plays like this leaping grab inside the red zone (but on defense) point to a player all 32 teams will secretly want in 2023.
Travis Hunter, a 2025 top prospect pic.twitter.com/LuWDZdgnHe
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) September 2, 2023
Even Daily Mirror sports writer Charlie Wilson believes Hunter is one of the rare athletes who counts as a first-round talent at two different positions.
Travis Hunter Jr is a first-round talent at WR and CB. He could seriously play both ways when he gets to the NFL.
Going to be a fun season for Colorado. https://t.co/94mX2YDhEz
— Charlie Wilson (@charliereachplc) September 3, 2023