Colorado Buffaloes star dual-threat WR/CB and top NFL prospect Travis Hunter has been named Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Breakout Star of the Year. In a social media post to X, the popular sports news outlet explained how Hunter had won this year’s edition of the award.
Hunter enjoyed a noteworthy and standout campaign for the Buffaloes this year and was a crucial member behind the program’s impressive 9-3 regular-season record. He had 96 receptions for 1,258 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns offensively and four interceptions and one forced fumble defensively.
What Did Sports Illustrated Post About Travis Hunter?
On their X profile, Sports Illustrated announced that the company had awarded Hunter the 2024 Breakout Star of the Year. The post featured a picture of Hunter running with the football, with a cool background that displayed the words “Sports Illustrated Breakout Star of the Year.” The caption read, “Travis Hunter is SI’s 2024 Breakout Star of the Year ⭐️.”
Travis Hunter is SI's 2024 Breakout Star of the Year ⭐️
Story: https://t.co/0mJoeQz1Sl pic.twitter.com/ZDUrnhqBxV
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 6, 2025
Travis Hunter NFL Draft Preview
The recent SI award is only one of the growing list of honors Hunter has accumulated this year for his dominant college football campaign. Most notably, he was the winner of this season’s Heisman Trophy, an award presented to the top college football player in the nation.
In addition, he is widely expected to be one of the first players taken in the upcoming NFL Draft. While there is a belief that draft order and team needs will impact the draft selection more than in recent years, Hunter will most likely still be a high choice.
In Pro Football Network’s recent 2025 NFL Mock Draft, Hunter was selected No. 1 overall by the New England Patriots.
“Is Travis Hunter a wide receiver or a cornerback? The great news for the New England Patriots is that it doesn’t really matter either way.
New England badly needs a true top weapon for Drake Maye entering his second season. That could come in the form of both a free agency splurge and the usage of a premium pick.
And while cornerback Christian Gonzalez has emerged as the team’s second-most-promising building block after Maye, fellow starting corner Jonathan Jones is an impending free agent. If Hunter ends up in Foxboro, perhaps his two-way playing days can continue after all.”
While the results of the Patriots’ Week 18 win dropped their draft position to fourth overall, the teams above them (Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants) could all be in the market for a quarterback. Thus, Hunter going to the Pats is not off the table just yet.