Along with new head coach Deion Sanders and QB Shedeur Sanders coming to Colorado, the arrival of Travis Hunter is arguably the most intriguing addition to the playing field in 2023.
Hunter, a former No. 1 overall recruit who came over with both of the Sanders from Jackson State this offseason, came into college with the billing of a player capable of being a game-changer at cornerback and wide receiver.
During his time at Jackson State, most of Hunter’s impact was at corner, but he did play a rather significant role on offense despite limited targets. He had 18 receptions for 188 yards in 2022, four of those catches going for touchdowns.
Now, Hunter is spending most of his time learning the offensive playbook this spring (h/t J.T. Keith of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger):
“Last year, I got a couple of snaps on offense,” Hunter, who plays mostly as a cornerback, told the media on Thursday. “This is natural for us, we just come in and do what we have to do.”
Hunter said he’s focusing on learning the offensive playbook because defense comes naturally to him. Buffs coach Deion Sanders talked to him about playing receiver at Colorado because he did not get a lot of snaps last year on the offensive side of the ball at Jackson State. Hunter had 18 catches for 188 yards and four touchdowns in eight games. Once he learns the playbook he can go back to the defensive side of the ball.”
Hunter added that while there are some similarities to the offense he was in at Jackson State, he’s still learning plenty under new Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis.
“It is an Air Raid offense still,” Hunter said, “but it is way different. Route running is different, we have a lot of plays that we can make up our minds in whatever we want to run, so it’s different.”
If Hunter’s work this offseason can translate to significant targets for him this year, he could become one of the better weapons in the Pac-12 in 2023.
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