Hall of Famer Rod Woodson wants college football sensation Travis Hunter to play corner in the NFL. Even though he has been phenomenal on the offensive side of the ball, Woodson believes Hunter could turn things around if he makes a career out of the defensive position. If the Colorado star considers Woodson’s suggestion, he could become the first corner in the history of the NFL to get picked No. 1 or No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft.
Rod Woodson Wants Travis Hunter To Pick the Defensive Side of the Ball
Hunter is a generational player. One of the peculiar reasons why he was able to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy was due to his two-way abilities on both sides of the ball. No player in the history of college football was able to showcase something of the same caliber. Hunter intends to carry forward his workload when he makes the pros. But Woodson believes it is not feasible in the NFL.
“I just think if you are burning candles at both ends of the stick, he could play well,” Woodson said in an exclusive interview with TMZ.
“But the likelihood that he’s going to be great at both … that’s not likely. Not in the National Football League,” he added before making a bold prediction that “he can be that All-Pro, next generational corner.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers legend, who played for 17 seasons in the NFL, suggested Hunter could take occasional reps at wideout if at all he wants to hone his skills, but he should focus on being an explosive corner, which is rare these days, and that disparity will help him make a place in the pro league.
“It’s hard to find young, dynamic cornerbacks that come out and can shut those guys down,” Woodson mentioned.
When Deion Sanders Issued Stern Warning to NFL Teams Targeting Hunter
Before entering the postseason, Hunter had 32 tackles and four interceptions under his belt. That made him one of the top five players in terms of total interceptions nationally and won him the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award. His head coach, Deion Sanders, does not want to let his skillset go in vain.
While speaking on the Rich Eisen show in Dec. 2024, he mentioned that teams that don’t intend to use him on both sides of the ball should not draft Hunter.
“I mean, he’s gonna do that, or they shouldn’t draft him. Don’t do that,” Sanders declared. “And I’m going to make sure of that. Don’t draft him if you’re not going to give him an opportunity to play on both sides of the ball,” he added.
The New England Patriots currently hold the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft after Week 17’s games. Hunter is a potential target, and having him on both sides of the ball will be an advantage for Jerod Mayo to bring balance to the team.