Top 2025 NFL Draft prospect and 2024 Heisman winner Travis Hunter was blown away after learning what Carson Beck has made through NIL. His ensuing reaction went viral, reminding fans just how unsettled much of the college football world is in its current form.
Travis Hunter’s NFL Draft Projection
Hunter was the top player in college football this season as he took home the Heisman Trophy, the highest honor a player can receive in college. Though some people believed Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty should have won the award, Hunter was one of the best players on both sides of the ball, making the unique shape of his production the backbone of his case.
Hunter finished with 96 receptions, 1,258 yards, and 15 touchdowns all while playing some of the best defense in college football, notching four interceptions as a cornerback. After this incredible season, Hunter is projected to be taken very early in the draft, possibly even within the first three picks. Many expect him to be the first non-quarterback taken in April. The New York Giants, who will pick third, ranked 20th in PFN’s Defense+ metric in 2024.
That said, in his most recent podcast episode, Hunter made some comments that could raise questions about whether or not he’ll actually be entering the draft.
Travis Hunter Makes Head-Turning Comments on His Podcast About Returning to College
In the most recent episode of “The Travis Hunter Show,” Hunter was astonished by former Georgia quarterback and Miami transfer Carson Beck and his staggering $10 million in NIL earnings during his collegiate career. This led Hunter to joke about returning to college to test his market value and see how much money he could make if he won another Heisman.
“How do you get $10 million? Where’s my $10 million? How are people getting this much money bro?… Let me go back. I’m going back to college,” Hunter joked. “Let me see if I can get $100 million.”
Holy Sh*t: Travis Hunter went OFF after he heard that Carson Beck is getting $10M in NIL earnings:
“How do you get $10 million? Where's my $10M? How are people getting this much money bro?… Let me go back. I'm going back to college. Let me see if I can get $100M.”
😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/VFIt8g51OV
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 16, 2025
While he wasn’t serious, NIL’s impact on the NFL Draft is very real. More seniors are staying in school to maximize their college earnings, and fewer underclassmen are making the jump to the league. Typically, athletes are eager to make it to the professional leagues, but with NIL money they could be swayed to stay in college, especially if they are projected to not be a first-round pick.
Hunter won’t be playing college football next year, but he very well could have made a lot more money by staying in college for another year rather than entering the draft. The absolute most Hunter would be able to make in his rookie contract is approximately $40 million, not accounting for a potential fifth-year option.
Theoretically, if he entered the transfer portal, that $10 million AAV salary might be a price tag that some top schools are willing to pay. That possibility, along with other stars who are actually returning in the fall, is something for the NFL and NCAA to take a longer look at as the NIL era continues.
