Tag: Travis Hunter

Coach Prime, Shedeur Sanders share thoughts on Travis Hunter’s Heisman case

Coach Prime on Travis Hunter’s Heisman case: “I’m not going to give a message to Heisman voters who are undecided. If they can’t see, they can’t see.”

Colorado football superstar Travis Hunter is locked in a tight race for the Heisman Trophy. The Buffs’ cornerback/wide receiver has become the recent favorite over fellow contenders in Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Hunter added numerous cheer-inducing plays to his highlight reel on Saturday against Utah. It was his third game of the season with an interception and an offensive touchdown. He also snagged one of the best catches of his career in the second quarter, going up between two Utes for a 28-yard catch on fourth-and-8.

After the game, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders was asked to share a message to undecided Heisman voters.

“I’m not going to give a message to Heisman voters who are undecided. If they can’t see, they can’t see. It is what it is. Travis is who he is,” Coach Prime said. “It’s supposed to go to the best college football player. That’s been a wrap since Week 2, so we aren’t petitioning for anybody.”

CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders added to the conversation, confirming that building Hunter’s Heisman resume isn’t a top priority when preparing for games.

“We don’t go in a game being like, ‘Oh, we got to get Travis the Heisman,'” Sanders said. “Some teams do that for their players — I’m just playing. We don’t go in a game like that. It’s all natural when it happens.”

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Shedeur Sanders asked about Travis Hunter scoring on Colorado’s late trick play

Travis Hunter made something out of nothing on Colorado’s late trick play

The vibes around the Colorado Buffaloes are great right now. So much so that when a trick play goes awry, it still results in points and smiles.

CU football quarterback Shedeur Sanders made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes against the Utah Utes on Saturday, but he still threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns while completing over 70% of his passes. Heisman frontrunner Travis Hunter had another fantastic performance, snagging an interception, catching five passes for 55 yards and rushing for a touchdown.

On a play that Colorado calls the “Hesmian,” Hunter received a toss from running back Charlie Offerdahl and was supposed to throw to Sanders, but the Colorado quarterback tripped before he could get open. However, it still worked out for Hunter as he made several Utah defenders miss en route to scoring.

Sanders was asked about the play after the Buffs’ 49-24 win:

“Just because he (Hunter) scored, I will automatically be on the clip,” Sanders said. “If y’all didn’t watch me because y’all were watching what he was doing, I was supposed to catch the ball. But I was trying to do what he (Hunter) does at receiver. When he’s not open, he squares his guy up, pushes him a little bit and turns around. But I tripped, fell backward and the DB landed on me. I knew he would make the right decision in that situation, but I was worrying about that. I was trying to get open and I see how hard it is to be a receiver.”

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Deion Sanders is done campaigning for Travis Hunter’s Heisman, and he’s right

There’s a clear reason why Travis Hunter is the Heisman Trophy favorite in Week 12.

Selecting the most outstanding college football player each season isn’t always easy, and there isn’t always a clear-cut favorite.

The 2024 Heisman Trophy race has been fascinating to watch all season with preseason favorite Dillon Gabriel, Ashton Jeanty and Cam Ward making some truly standout plays and quintessential Heisman moments on the field.

But, as talented as they are, no one really compares with two-way player Travis Hunter, who entered Week 12 as the consensus Heisman favorite. And Saturday in Colorado’s 49-24 win over Utah, the Buffaloes wide receiver/defensive back reminded everyone why.

Against Utah, Hunter finished with 60 total offensive yards, which is actually a bit low for him. He earned his first rushing touchdown of the season, and on defense, he returned an interception for 21 yards and added three solo tackles and a pass breakup. On the season, he has 10 total touchdowns, 911 receiving yards, three interceptions, eight passes defended and one forced fumble, as Fox Sports noted.

Hunter’s talent and skills are undeniable. Not only does he play almost every snap on both sides of the ball when he’s healthy, but he also often makes standout play after standout play, like this one:

And this one:

With less than a month to go before Heisman voters make their selections, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs have been stumping hard for Hunter’s Heisman campaign. They’re right to support their player, of course, but they’re also right about no college player in the country being comparable to Hunter, a coveted future NFL Draft pick.

Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders praised Hunter after the game, calling him the best player in the country:

“He’s the best player in the country, hands down, no doubt. There’s not a lot of guys that can do what he do on offense and defense, so it’s really tough to compare him to anybody else because I feel like if he was at a different program — they don’t like us so much. They hate on us too. So it’s real hard, and it makes me sad that they don’t give a guy like him his credit because that’s generational. It ain’t gonna happen again for a long time.”

After the Buffs’ win against Utah, Deion was asked what his message to undecided Heisman voters would be. He echoed his quarterback son’s sentiments but implied he’s done stumping and said:

“I ain’t gonna sit up here and give no message to no Heisman voters who is undecided. If they can’t see, they can’t see. It is what it is. Travis is who he is. It’s supposed to go to the best college football player; I think that’s been a wrap since, what? Week 2?

“So, we ain’t petitioning for nobody. We ain’t doing that. We’ve got a wonderful display of cameras here, and I think we’re on national television every week. If they can’t see it, something is a problem. Don’t allow their hatred for me to interfere with our kids’ success. … Give the kids what they deserve.”

Sanders may claim he’s not arguing for Hunter’s Heisman campaign, but he’s still making an argument that the two-way player is the best in college football this season. And he’s right, but at this point, the Sanders family and the rest of Colorado shouldn’t have to be convincing anyone of Hunter’s exceptionalism.

For Oregon, Gabriel makes his dominance look easy. With Miami, Ward is so poised making big plays it’s almost worrisome. And Boise State has the best running back in the country with Jeanty.

But Hunter is an extraordinary two-way player who’s on the field for the majority of games and is having an incredible season. Barring a catastrophic game for him or a couple truly elevated performances from his fellow contenders, the Heisman should be his come December.

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Gus Johnson wants Travis Hunter awarded the Heisman after the WR’s latest incredible catch

Do you agree with Gus Johnson?

Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter might have the 2024 Heisman Trophy locked up by now, or at least Fox Sports broadcaster Gus Johnson thinks he should.

After Hunter caught an absolutely astonishing pass in double coverage against visiting Utah on Saturday, Johnson didn’t hide his feelings on how he felt about the catch and the player who pulled it down.

“Travis Hunter! Give him the Heisman now!” Johnson exclaimed to cheers from the home crowd.

Hunter won’t necessarily waltz away with college football’s most prestigious individual award.

However, the wideout/cornerback has the best chance of any non-quarterback to win it since 2020 and former Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith.

UPDATE: Travis Hunter did another amazing Travis Hunter thing with a very impressive rushing touchdown to put the game against Utah away.

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The Athletic tabs ‘easy fit’ if Jaguars pick No. 1 in 2025 NFL draft

The Athletic tabs ‘easy fit’ if Jaguars pick No. 1 in 2025 NFL draft

If the Jaguars hold onto the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which they possess 10 weeks into the 2024 season, The Athletic believes Jacksonville’s general manager will face an easy choice come April.

Identifying prospect fits for teams who might take the top spot in the draft, including Jacksonville, The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner envisioned a “win-win” for both the club and the player, pairing the Jaguars with Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter Jr.

We’ll see how things go (and, obviously, this job is still filled for the moment), but the Jaguars get my pre-vote for best opening of the impending 2025 NFL coaching cycle. That’s not just because the new coach would get Trevor Lawrence. There’s also a fair amount of young talent to work with on this roster, and the Jaguars currently have the most 2025 draft capital in the league.

Even though the 2025 draft class doesn’t look elite by any measure, it’s more than enough for the Jaguars — an aimless group that is better than its record — to turn their fortunes.

Hunter, the best college player in America, could help finally give Lawrence a real weapon and/or establish the Jaguars’ defensive culture. It’s a win-win. Easy fit.

Hunter has entered the conversation as one of the best two-way players in college football history over his three-year career, under head coach Deion Sanders as a freshman at Jackson State and the last two seasons at Colorado.

Over 26 games between both schools, Hunter has logged 144 receptions for 1,767 yards and 18 touchdowns and 70 total tackles, seven interceptions, 20 defended passes and one forced fumble.

The Jaguars could pair Hunter with Brian Thomas Jr., their star rookie wide receiver, to offer Lawrence a dynamic, young pass-catching duo for years to come if this scenario were to play out.

Should the Jaguars prefer Hunter’s defensive upside, Jacksonville could also align Hunter opposite Tyson Campbell, who signed a four-year contract extension with the club this past offseason, at outside cornerback for the foreseeable future.

Or, the Jaguars could even do both.

The 2025 NFL draft will begin April 24.

Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders go 1-2 in latest USA TODAY Sports mock draft

Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders went 1-2 in USA TODAY Sports’ latest NFL mock draft

We’re about five months away from the 2025 NFL draft and it’s becoming increasingly apparent that Colorado will have two players selected early in the first round.

Some NFL draft analysts even project the Buffs to produce the top two overall picks. In USA TODAY Sports’ latest mock draft, cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter went No. 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and quarterback Shedeur Sanders followed by going No. 2 to the New York Giants.

Here’s some of what USA TODAY Sports writer Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote on Hunter’s potential fit with the Jags:

Even though he could be a shutdown corner for Jacksonville’s league-worst defense, the smart money is on the Heisman Trophy front-runner going the receiver route given the way the market at the position has exploded. That shouldn’t dissuade the Jaguars at all, as Hunter is still the kind of transcendent talent who can team with stellar 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. to get Trevor Lawrence’s development back on track after what’s shaping up to be another lost season.

Sanders’ NFL draft situation is a little more complicated due to his position. Earlier this week, Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders told FS1’s “Speak” that he’d prefer his son Shedeur to land with an NFL team that can “handle the quarterback that he is.”

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Travis Hunter’s younger brother making noise as high school sophomore

Travis Hunter’s younger brother is enjoying a dominant sophomore season

Colorado superstar Travis Hunter is having a fantastic season that could end with him being awarded college football’s prestigious Heisman Trophy. Still, he isn’t the only member of his family enjoying a stellar fall on the gridiron.

Trayvis Hunter, Travis’ younger brother, is currently making a name for himself at Effingham County High School in Springfield, Georgia. Currently a sophomore, Trayvis helped lead the Rebels to the Class AAAAA state playoffs while contributing 36 receptions for 496 yards and six touchdowns. Before transferring to Effingham County, he played his freshman season at the same high school as Travis, Collins Hill in Suwanee, Georgia.

From the highlights I’ve seen, the 5-foot-7, 140-pound Trayvis has speed that immediately jumps off the tape. He easily beats defensive backs over the top and can break angles when catching short passes and turning them upfield.

Once his scouting grades arrive, it’ll be interesting to see how his recruitment unfolds.

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Travis Hunter hilariously shoved a tortilla in his pants after a Texas Tech fan threw it on the field

Who throws a tortilla? Honestly.

Who throws a tortilla? Honestly.

Well, Texas Tech fans, apparently.

On Saturday during Colorado’s visit to Lubbock for a Big 12 clash, a Red Raiders fan – as they are known to do – threw a tortilla on the field that landed near Heisman candidate Travis Hunter just before a snap. And, instinctively, the Buffs’ cornerback did what a lot of folks would’ve done: he picked it up to save it for later.

But dudes in full football gear don’t have pockets or spare zip-loc bags on them. And so, Hunter shoved the tortilla down the front of his pants.

No, really.

There’s context to know here. Texas Tech fans didn’t just randomly target Hunter with flour or corn tortillas. It’s a tradition in Lubbock to throw them on the field and court during basketball and football games. According to one version of the story of how the tradition started, an ESPN announcer once referred to Lubbock as “nothing but Tech football and a tortilla factory.” In the Red Raiders’ next game, a home upset over a ranked Texas A&M team, fans of Texas Tech rained tortillas on the field. Back in 2019, during Texas Tech’s national men’s basketball championship clash against Virginia, they threw tortillas on the court too.

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2 NFL mock drafts have Travis Hunter going No. 1 overall in 2025

Seems like he’s a consensus No. 1.

It’s pretty obvious Travis Hunter and his two-way prowess for Colorado proves that he’s an incredible athlete. Maybe that means a Heisman Trophy is in his future.

But where could he end up in the 2025 NFL Draft? And will he play both cornerback and wide receiver in the league? Our latest mock from our Christian D’Andrea had him going No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, an intriguing pairing with Brian Thomas Jr. And in a Bleacher Report mock, he’s the No. 1 pick where the site writes he “could primarily be a cornerback, although he should also contribute as part of certain offensive packages.”

Over at CBS, he’s also No. 1 to the Patriots, where Chris Trapasso they “could use a receiver jolt to pair with Drake Maye.”

That’s it! Make sure to check out our latest 2025 NFL mock draft!

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Saints scout two of the 2025 draft’s best prospects at Colorado

The Saints stopped at Colorado’s campus to scout two of the 2025 draft’s best prospects. They’re in position to draft Travis Hunter or Shedeur Sanders, but will they?


We’ll see how the standings shake out after this week’s round of NFL games, but right now the New Orleans Saints are slotted in at the fifth overall pick in the 2025 draft after their 2-6 start to the season. That’s prime position to select a top prospect like Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter or standout quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

And last week the Saints were one of five NFL teams who stopped by Colorado’s campus in Boulder to scout the Buffaloes. Hunter is seen as a franchise-altering talent at either wide receiver or cornerback, and Sanders is competing with Miami’s Cameron Ward to be the first passer selected. It makes sense that the Saints would be keeping tabs on each of them.

But those aren’t Colorado’s only NFL prospects. Wide receiver Will Sheppard and safety Shilo Sanders should both be drafted in the middle rounds or early on Day 3. Another wideout, Jimmy Horn Jr., is a rising star, too.

Campus visits like this are common for NFL teams, so don’t read too deeply into it. They’re often used for information-gathering so scouts can fill out their reports after meeting with coaches, trainers, and even academic counselors. But if the Saints keep losing and end up in position to pick a playmaker like Hunter or Sanders? Well. Stranger things have happened.

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