Tag: Travis Hunter

CBS Sports tabs Travis Hunter as the best player in college football this spring

Travis Hunter is the best player in college football this spring, according to CBS Sports

In the eyes of CBS Sports, Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter stands as the best overall player in college football this spring.

CBS Sports writer Blake Brockermeyer released a spring ranking of college football’s top 100 players on Monday and the Buffaloes’ two-way superstar took the No. 1 spot. Close behind, fellow Colorado star Shedeur Sanders was No. 4 overall and the top-ranked quarterback.

The only other CU player featured was edge rusher B.J. Green II, an incoming transfer from Arizona State who was ranked No. 77.

For Hunter and Sanders, their respectable spots on Brockermeyer’s list should only fuel any Heisman Trophy buzz. Both players were in the conversation early last season before injuries and team struggles halted their campaigns.

Here’s some of what Brockermeyer wrote on Hunter:

Former No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter leads my list as the top overall player in the country entering the 2024 season. He is a generational player and, if he took fewer snaps offensively at wide receiver, would be even more effective for Colorado’s defense. Hunter missed a handful of games after taking a cheap shot in the Colorado State game and still notched 1,044 snaps. He had seven games with more than 100 snaps, doing so as a two-way player. That is more than two seasons worth of reps for the typical defender

Clearly, Hunter’s ability to endure a high number of snaps on both offense and defense played a major factor in his landing the top spot.

In between Hunter and Sanders, CBS Sports ranked Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. as the second-best player in college football, and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was third.

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Colorado HC Deion Sanders says he can dictate where Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are drafted

Should players be able to decide where they want to play before being drafted?

Last season, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took the college football world by storm thanks to his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter.

The storm ended after three weeks. Colorado started the season 3-0 and everyone had Sanders and Hunter among their Heisman favorites and projected high picks in the 2024 NFL draft. The Buffaloes then went 1-8, Hunter was hurt and Sanders struggled.

Sanders could have declared for the 2024 NFL draft but chose to return to college. When the elder Sanders was on something called the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, he made it clear that his son and Hunter would only play for certain teams and he would “pull an Eli” if they got drafted by the wrong teams.

What he is referring to is Eli Manning, who said he refused to play for the San Diego Chargers after they chose him No. 1 overall in the 2004 NFL, The Chargers then traded him to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers who the Giants selected Philip Rivers. This allowed the Chargers to trade Manning for Rivers also with several San Diego draft picks including a first-round pick the following year.

My feelings on this are quite simple. If I’m an NFL GM, I don’t draft any player who doesn’t want to play for my team, especially not a high pick. No matter how talented they are, they will be a bust if they are set on not playing. And teams invest too much in top picks to have petulant children on the roster with huge salaries.

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Deion Sanders wants Travis Hunter and Shedeur to leverage their future NFL Draft destinations just like Eli Manning

Deion Sanders knows exactly where he wants Travis Hunter and son Shedeur to play.

Deion Sanders is putting the NFL on notice. He has an idea of where he wants Travis Hunter and son Shedeur Sanders to be drafted in 2025, and if the wrong teams take them, “it’s going to be an Eli,” he said.

Sanders was a guest on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast when he predicted Sanders and Hunter would both be top-four overall draft picks, with one going No. 1. But he cautioned about the possibility of that changing based on the teams picking. He has destinations in mind for them and his other son, Shiloh.

“I know where I want them to go. So, it’s certain cities that it ain’t going to happen,” Sanders said before referencing Eli Manning, who famously requested a trade from the San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants after being drafted first overall in 2004.

On first listen, Sanders’ comment reeks of an entitlement those players haven’t earned yet. They were certainly standouts at Colorado last season, but better players have come and gone without being able to leverage their way to an ideal draft destination.

However, just because players haven’t been able to leverage where they go as much in the past doesn’t mean it shouldn’t and won’t happen more in the future. We’ve been conditioned to accept the draft as a legitimate process to determine where people get to work, but the more power college players gain through NIL and brand deals, the more we could see the tide shift. There isn’t a more ideal situation to help push that change than having one of the NFL’s greatest players with a star quarterback as a son and a two-way defensive back as his star pupil.

Manning knows all about that and appeared to approve the message, with a tweet saying “I love me some Deion.”

All of this falls apart if Shedeur and Hunter don’t put up good enough film in 2024. But if they do their part, this will be something to monitor going into next year.

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko thinks 5-star commit Terry Bussey could play like Colorado’s Travis Hunter

Bussey officially committed to the Aggies this week and coach Mike Elko discussed how he plans to use the talented athlete at Kyle Field.

University of Colorado Boulder junior Travis Hunter put the college football world on notice this past season with his versatility, playing all three facets of the game on offense, defense and special teams.

Texas A&M may have its own three-way superstar following national signing day on Wednesday. 5-star prospect Terry Bussey officially committed to the Aggies this week and head coach Mike Elko discussed how he plans to use the talented athlete at Kyle Field.

“Both ways all of the time is hard, but when you have a kid that’s as dynamic as he is, you have to find ways for him to impact the football game,” Elko said. “Some of that will be in the return game, in spot ways on offense, and we anticipate a lot of that being on defense.

“For us, he’s going to come in at corner, but he’ll certainly have a role with the ball in his hand in the return game and as a specialist in some situations.”

Bussey’s potential is through the roof and fans in Aggieland should be extremely excited to see him put on the Maroon & White this fall.

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NFL analyst Brian Baldinger on Travis Hunter: ‘He’s the No. 1 player in the country’

Travis Hunter earned some huge praise from Brian Baldinger

Leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII, NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger spoke with the DNVR Buffs crew on Radio Row in Las Vegas earlier this week.

The former NFL offensive lineman was asked about Colorado football’s two biggest stars — quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter — and didn’t hesitate when calling Hunter the “No. 1 player in the country.” That’s some high praise for Hunter, who should be a legitimate Heisman contender heading into next season.

Despite missing three-plus games with an injury, Hunter finished last season with 721 receiving yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions while playing more snaps from scrimmage than any other player in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He also earned First-Team All-American honors from the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America and multiple other outlets.

Even more, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders recently shared his belief that Shedeur and Hunter are worthy of being the top two picks in next year’s NFL draft.

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Colorado could produce the top two picks in next year’s NFL draft, Deion Sanders says

Deion Sanders believes NFL scouts will hound Colorado next season

While speaking to undergraduate students at the University of Colorado Boulder’s “Prime Time: Performance and Leadership” class last week, Deion Sanders shared that he anticipates NFL scouts to hound the Buffaloes next season.

Even more, Coach Prime believes that his son, CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter could be the first two names called in the 2025 NFL draft.

“We got, proposedly, the first and second pick of the whole draft, Sheduer and Travis, so every NFL scout is coming down,” Deion Sanders told the class (h/t Well Off Media). “But they’re not just gonna come for that, because I want them to see the smorgasbord of players that we have and the operation that we have.”

In their first year with the Buffs, Shedeur Sanders broke CU’s single-season passing yards record while Hunter earned the 2023 Paul Hornung Award as college football’s most versatile player. If they stay healthy and continue producing, the two Buffs stars should continue flying up NFL draft boards.

Colorado does have several other players who are worthy of NFL attention, as Coach Prime said. Those who come to mind include Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard, Shilo Sanders, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig and others.

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Travis Hunter makes ESPN’s way-too-early All-America Team for 2024

ESPN believes Travis Hunter is in for another All-American season

Travis Hunter’s unrivaled athleticism impressed many throughout his first season at Colorado.

Whether he was playing lockdown corner or pulling in improbable catches at wide receiver, the two-way phenom proved himself as one of college football’s best. In turn, the former five-star prospect became the 31st consensus All-American in CU history.

Hunter, who missed the Buffs’ first three Pac-12 games due to injury, still finished the year with three interceptions, 721 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

On Tuesday, ESPN released its way-too-early college football All-America team for 2024 and Hunter was named first-team cornerback and second-team all-purpose. Here’s what ESPN’s Chris Low wrote about Colorado’s superstar:

Colorado coach Deion Sanders called Hunter a “generational player” last year, and Sanders should know. A two-way player for the Buffaloes, Hunter played more snaps from scrimmage (566 on defense and 436 on offense) than anybody in college football. Despite missing three games with an injury, Hunter had three interceptions and has the skills to lock down any receiver in the country.

Other notable players who made ESPN’s list include Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan (first-team wide receiver), Colorado’s State Tory Horton (second-team wide receiver) and Utah’s Brant Kuithe (second-team tight end).

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Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders ranked in ESPN’s top 100 players of 2023

Two Colorado stars made ESPN’s ranking of the top 100 college football players from the 2023 season

Following Colorado’s magical win over then-No. 17 TCU, it was clear that quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter were primed for huge first seasons with the Buffs. Fast forward to now, and both players found themselves in ESPN’s ranking of the top 100 college football players from the 2023 season.

While the rest of the year didn’t exactly go to plan, Sanders and Hunter were continuous bright spots for the 4-8 Buffs. Whether the duo was linking up for a deep ball or making plays individually, their surplus of highlights and signature celebrations made them one of the most popular pairs in college football.

Hunter boasted the No. 35 overall spot, while Sanders snuck into the top 70 at No. 69. Here’s what ESPN wrote on Hunter:

A true two-way threat, Hunter was a key player for the Buffaloes at receiver and at corner, playing a majority of the team’s snaps on both sides. In nine games, he finished with 57 catches for 721 yards receiving and five touchdowns, with three interceptions.

Coming into the season ranked at No. 70, Hunter jumped 35 places. If he hadn’t missed a few games due to the infamous hit by Henry Blackburn on Sep. 16, the former No. 1 high school recruit might have found himself even higher. Still, his ability to lock up receivers on one side of the ball while cooking cornerbacks on the other propelled Hunter into the top 40.

With another year remaining before he can declare for the NFL draft, Hunter will be back for the Buffs in 2024. After missing three-plus games this past season, the superstar will do everything he can to be on the field as much as possible heading into his junior year.

Some outsiders had doubted whether Sanders was good enough to be a Power Five quarterback, but the head coach’s son rocked the college football world when he played like a Heisman candidate in the first few games of the season. While his hot play cooled off as his offensive line struggled, Sanders still ranked 13th nationally in passing touchdowns and 25th in passing yards.

ESPN wrote the following on Sanders:

Sanders — and really, the entire Colorado team in general — experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows this season. Behind an offensive line that gave him less and less protection as the year went on, Sanders threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns. In what was a noisy rebuilding year for the Buffs, Sanders stood out in singular moments but also showed that both he and Colorado have a ways to go.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has repeatedly said that his son will stay in Boulder for his senior season instead of declaring for the 2024 NFL draft. With Jordan Seaton, the top-ranked offensive lineman in the class of 2024, headlining Colorado’s impressive signing class, Sanders should be even better next year.

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Colorado star Travis Hunter named First-Team AP All-American

Travis Hunter was named Colorado’s first First-Team AP All-American since 2010

With postseason college football awards being handed out on a near-daily basis and the Heisman Trophy going to Jayden Daniels this past Saturday, the Associated Press released its 2023 All-American teams on Monday.

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter was named to the First Team as an all-purpose player. Hunter was also named First-Team All-Pac-12 on defense.

The Pac-12 Conference had three other players on the First Team: center Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) wide receiver Rome Odunze (Washington) and edge rusher Laiatu Latu (UCLA).

Michael Penix Jr., the Huskies’ QB, was named to the Second Team, and Oregon QB Bo Nix was named to the Third Team.

Hunter looks to be an early Heisman Trophy contender next season, and his numbers would’ve been even better if he didn’t get injured.

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Two CU Buffs make list of way-too-early 2024 Heisman contenders

Colorado owns two legitimate Heisman Trophy contenders heading into next season

The 2024 college football season won’t kick off for a long time, but with the transfer portal already swirling out of control, the conversations about next year are beginning.

On Saturday night, LSU quarterback and former Arizona State starter Jayden Daniels was named the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner. The 2024 Heisman field should be full of talent once again with Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, new Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and Texas QB Quinn Ewers among the most popular early candidates.

After Daniels won the prestigious award, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach compiled a list of way-too-early 2024 Heisman Trophy candidates and two Colorado players were featured: Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.

Hunter and Sanders emerged in the Heisman conversation earlier this year when the Buffs got off to a 3-0 start, but things fizzled out. Hunter got injured and Sanders was plagued by poor offensive line play.

Here’s what Schlabach wrote about Colorado’s starting quarterback:

Sanders is considered a potential first-round pick in the NFL draft, so it’s unclear whether he’ll return to play for his father, Deion, for another season. Sanders showed plenty of guts playing behind a dreadful offensive line this past season, throwing for 3,230 yards with 27 touchdowns and three interceptions. If he comes back to school — and the Buffaloes can cobble together some protection — he might contend for the Heisman Trophy and be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

As for Hunter, the two-way star is undoubtedly going to be a popular pick for the Heisman heading into next season. If it weren’t for an injury, his 2023 numbers would’ve been even more impressive.

Schlabach also gave high praise to Hunter:

Another Colorado player who captured the sport’s attention early in the 2023 season, Hunter won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in the FBS. On offense, he had 57 catches for 721 yards and 5 touchdowns. On defense, Hunter had 30 tackles, 3 interceptions and 5 pass breakups. Hunter missed three games because of injuries but still logged 1,032 snaps, the most of any player in the FBS.

The Buffs have already addressed the offensive line, which is huge for Sanders. Head coach Deion Sanders’ staff also looks different with Sean Lewis (and others) going to San Diego State.

Nonetheless, the Buffs have a pair of legitimate Heisman candidates heading into the 2024 season.

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