Tag: Travis Hunter

Travis Hunter rises as a receiver, Tory Horton falls in Colorado’s win over Colorado State

Travis Hunter rises as a receiver, Tory Horton falls in Colorado’s win over Colorado State

The annual rivalry game between Colorado and Colorado State wasn’t much of a contest after the first quarter. The Buffaloes ran away from the Rams for a 29-9 win at Colorado State that also served as a scouting showcase for two well-regarded wide receiver prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft.

For Colorado’s Travis Hunter, it was a night that proved he’s a high-end WR prospect in addition to being the best cornerback prospect in the class at this point. Hunter made several impressive catches from a sharp Shedeur Sanders (36-of-49, 310 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) at quarterback, including a sideline snag well away from his body where Hunter held the ball out well after the play to show how easily he made a tough catch look, and also with both feet inbounds.

Hunter, as he is wont to do, was masterfully creative after the catch. A simple outside pivot that was too fast and too unexpected by the defense bought him an extra 10 yards on one catch-and-run. The 6-foot-1 Hunter finished the night with 13 catches for exactly 100 yards and two touchdowns. He was invariably open all night.

It was a rough night for his CSU counterpart Horton. He was ineffective early before leaving the game in the second quarter after aggravating a leg injury that had him questionable for the game. It’s an unfortunate break for Horton, losing his biggest stage to show out. In the 2023 meeting, Horton established himself as a Day 2 prospect with a monster outing: 16 catches, 133 yards, 2 TDs. On Saturday night, Horton caught two passes for 24 yards before leaving.

Travis Hunter praises Lincoln as a ‘top ten’ stadium environment

Colorado star Travis Hunter gave major praise to the Huskers and their fans earlier this week.

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter praised the atmosphere and Husker fans following Nebraska’s 28-10 victory over the Buffaloes on Saturday.

Hunter certainly made an impact in the game. He tallied ten catches for 110 yards. A 28-yard reception was his longest of the evening.

Even so, it was not enough, as the Nebraska defense stifled the Buffaloes’ offensive unit. Colorado recorded 244 passing yards but struggled to get anything going consistently.

Hunter appeared on his show earlier this week and credited Nebraska on multiple levels, even calling it a “top ten environment.”

Last Saturday’s victory was a big stepping stone for the Nebraska football program and coach Matt Rhule. Hunter undoubtedly is one of the most electrifying players in all of college football. Having him recognize the stadium environment like he did earlier this week is just a reminder of how much Husker fans mean to the program.

https://twitter.com/MasonKernMedia/status/1833681700578070654

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2025 NFL Mock Draft: Vikings landed biggest star in college football

The Vikings were once thought to be looking toward the draft sooner than most. However, after a win over the Giants those have been paused.

The Vikings were once thought to be a team looking toward the NFL Draft sooner than most. However, after a dominant Week 1 win over the New York Giants, those talks may have been premature. The Vikings showed they have plenty of strengths to make things interesting for 2024 and beyond.

Regardless of how well a roster is or isn’t constructed, players are always coming in.

In an early 2025 NFL Mock Draft, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports published his take on the Vikings and their potential plans. The team needs a cornerback; Daniel Jones showed that at times. His solution to that problem is also a possible solution to the team’s receiver depth needs.

He has the Vikings drafting Travis Hunter, the dual-threat player out of Colorado.

He writes, “What a fun selection here — Hunter can act as the No. 1 CB in Minnesota and Kevin O’Connell can design an offensive package to utilize Hunter for the true beginning of the J.J. McCarthy era.”

It would be ideal for both parties. Kevin O’Connell would be able to scheme with Hunter in unique ways, keeping him fresh on both sides of the ball. Perhaps this can be mocked a few more times before we get to next April.

Shedeur Sanders & Travis Hunter knocked down to reality after brutal Nebraska loss

The Cornhuskers blew out the Buffalos on Saturday.

It was a shining performance from the superstar Colorado duo in quarterback Sheduer Sanders and dual-threat Travis Hunter in the opening week of the season as both players looked every bit of the first-round pick they are touted as. Heading into week 2 more of the same kind of production was expected of the duo, but unfortunately, they ran into a buzzsaw that was the Nebraska Cornhuskers defense.

While both players ended up with a respectable stat line, it was hard to watch Sanders in particular get mauled by the opposing defensive line. Despite a Nebraska player nailing him just about every other play, Sanders still was able to pull through a respectable performance with over 240 passing yards and a touchdown. There were moments in the game that Sanders did look clearly flustered, however, such as his opening quarter pick 6, where he put a ball out for grabs that clearly should not have been thrown.

As for Hunter, while he was clearly still the top target within the offense, he was much more contained compared to the week before and failed to come down with a score. Hunter was visually frustrated with the Nebraska defense and the play of his own offense, and even a solid performance from the superstar could not save the day.

Both players are still set to be first-round selections come draft day, but when it comes to the quarterback race in particular, if Sanders wants to be the first one off the board he will need to clean up his play when it comes to tight games like this one.

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A closer look at Nebraska’s victory over Colorado

The Huskers moved to 2-0 on the season with the victory.

Nebraska improved to 2-0 on Saturday night with a 28-10 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes. The 18-point margin of victory is the largest for the Cornhuskers in this rivalry since a 45-17 win over the Buffs in 2010.

The Huskers now hold a 50-21-2 all-time edge in the series, including 27-9 in Lincoln. Nebraska held Colorado to ten points, making the Buffaloes the ninth straight opponent the Huskers have held to 24 or fewer points.

The Cornhuskers finished with 334 yards of offense, while Colorado could only muster 260 yards of total offense and only 16 yards on the ground.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola finished the game 23-of-30 for 185 yards and one touchdown. After the win, the freshman quarterback talked about the importance of the offense setting a physical tone early in the game.

“Obviously, that’s our foundation. That’s what Husker football and this offense is built on. I couldn’t say enough about my o-line going out and covering people up and moving people off the ball. Receivers, blocking and being physical and running backs, finishing runs and making plays. It was a team win, team effort, and we’re just happy we’re 1-0 right now.”

Nebraska will now prepare for Northern Iowa next Saturday. The Huskers will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Find a photo gallery of Nebraska’s victory below.

Vikings get secondary help in latest 2025 Mock Draft from PFF

The Minnesota Vikings secondary remains a question mark for the defense heading into 2024, despite the signing of Stephone Gilmore.

The Minnesota Vikings secondary remains a question mark for the defense heading into 2024. Despite the signing of Stephone Gilmore, there is a lot to be desired with the cornerbacks. They have pieces but lack someone who can be the leader of the group for years to come.

One way the Vikings can solve it is by taking advantage of what is projected to be a high draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

One of the solutions was mocked to the Vikings by Connor Rogers on PFF’s NFL Stock Exchange podcast. They had their first mock draft of the season and projected cornerback Benjamin Morrison from Notre Dame to be their selection.

Players like Mason Graham, Will Johnson, and Travis Hunter who all play at positions of need were unavailable. Worth mentioning though, Graham was taken one spot before their mock by the Cardinals.

Pro Football Focus projects the Vikings to finish with the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter among Heisman candidates in Big 12

Take a look at the nine Heisman Trophy Candidates that play in the Big 12 Conference.

After the first week of college football, the race for the 2024 Heisman saw players move up and down regarding their stock to win the award.

The Big 12 conference has nine players looking to take home the most prestigious award in the sport.

Here is how those nine fared in Week 1, and what they are up against in Week 2:

Travis Hunter, Wide Receiver/Defensive Back, Colorado Buffaloes

Hunter played nearly the entire game for the Colorado Buffaloes. They picked up a win at home over North Dakota State. When he was not on the field for offense, he was playing defensive back for the Buffs.

Hunter made some incredible catches in the game, which resulted in 132 yards and three touchdowns. His teammate Jimmy Horn Jr. went for just under 200 in the game and a touchdown. It will be interesting to see how the Buffaloes come out in Week 2, as they take on a tough Nebraska squad.

Cam Rising, Quarterback, Utah Utes

The Utah Utes missed Rising last season. There is no doubt about that. He came back in Week 1 and looked great against Southern Utah.

He is likely going to get more than 15 attempts going forward, but against the Thunderbirds Rising was strong, with nearly 17 yards per completed pass. That is second in the country to Washington State’s John Mateer.

Utah will play a fun one this week, as they host the Baylor Bears.

Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback, Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado signal caller tossed for 445 yards and four touchdowns in the team’s season-opening win over North Dakota State. He did have a turnover in the game but was only sacked once.

Coach Prime and his staff are hoping to keep him more upright this season and give him opportunities to create. The Buffaloes will face a tough task in Week 2 as they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Avery Johnson, Quarterback, Kansas State Wildcats

The athletic quarterback was 14 of 21 passing for 153 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception in Week 1 against UT-Martin. Johnson did not get a ton of chances to use his legs, but when he did, he averaged 12.3 yards per game carry.

Will Howard left for Ohio State, but many around Manhattan feel Johnson’s skill set is better served for the 2024 squad. Kansas State will go on the road in Week 2 and take on the Tulane Green Wave.

Noah Fifita, Quarterback, Arizona Wildcats

Fifita heads into Week 2 with four touchdown passes already under his belt from the team’s Week 1 win over New Mexico. The signal-caller found his connection right away with receiver Tetairoa McMillan and went to him early and often.

Fifita should be able to put up pretty strong numbers all season with the style of play Arizona would like to play. The Wildcats have Northern Arizona this weekend and will face their toughest test in Week 3 at Kansas State.

Jalon Daniels, Quarterback, Kansas Jayhawks

Daniels was back and looked healthy in Week 1 when the Jayhawks took down Lindenwood, 48-3. Kansas will need him to be if they want to contend in the Big 12 standings. Daniels was 9 of 15 passing for 148 yards and a touchdown in the game. Daniels is also a big-time threat with his legs. He will use that weapon when he needs to. That time may come this weekend and the Jayhawks are on the road at Illinois is a Big Ten / Big 12 clash.

Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver, Arizona Wildcats

McMillan went for over 300 yards in Arizona’s win over New Mexico. His statistics were the best of any receiver in College Football for Week 1. His stock rose after the first week of the season. His issue will be, if he is catching the football over and over, Noah Fifita, another Heisman candidate will be getting it to him. McMillan had so many yards in the first game, he is already 74 yards ahead of second place in the country.

Arizona will take on Northern Arizona on Saturday.

KJ Jefferson, Quarterback, Central Florida Knights

Jefferson put up numbers similar to what Jalon Daniels did. The signal caller needed just 14 passing attempts to get 165 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception in the blowout win.

The Knights are going to get another game that should not challenge them too much in Week 2. Central Florida is at home against Sam Houston State.

Ollie Gordon, Running Back, Oklahoma State Cowboys

The best chance for a running back to win this award is Ollie Gordon from Oklahoma State. His Week 1 numbers were good, but finished 19th in College Football in rushing yards with 126. He also scored three touchdowns in the game.

His biggest running back competition may come from Ashton Jeanty of Boise State, who scored six touchdowns in Week 1. Oklahoma State will need to get Gordon the ball early and often, as they host Arkansas this weekend.

Patriots believed to have scouted 2025 first-round WR prospect

Could the Patriots be eyeing a big-time receiver in the 2025 NFL draft?

The New England Patriots were reportedly represented by one of 31 scouts and front office personnel sent out to watch Colorado’s regular season opener against North Dakota State last Thursday night, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter are two players projected as possible Heisman Trophy candidates and first-round draft picks.

The Patriots are already set at quarterback after using the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft on rookie Drake Maye. However, they desperately need a playmaking wide receiver to help open the field up for their young quarterback.

Are the Patriots eyeing Hunter as a potential future draft pick? Here’s what Reiss posted in his Sunday notes column:

Given the team’s ongoing quest for a No. 1 receiver, it might be a preview of how thorough the Patriots will be in their evaluation of Colorado dynamic pass catcher Travis Hunter, who is the No. 9 prospect in ESPN analyst Field Yates’ rankings.

Wide receiver and offensive tackle are the two most glaring issues for the Patriots. Some would argue that the team would be better off drafting a player like LSU’s Will Campbell, who is believed to be one of the top left tackle prospects in the country.

Of course, that’s assuming it’s another dumpster fire season for the Patriots, and they end up with a top-five draft pick. Their future will ultimately be decided by how they perform in 2024.

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University of Colorado stars put themselves on Steelers NFL draft radar

Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are guys the Steelers should consider in the 2025 NFL draft.

We’re keeping a close eye on all things college football in reference to the NFL draft and the Pittsburgh Steelers. We haven’t even gotten through the first full weekend of the college season and we are already compiling quite a list of guys to watch who could be Steelers targets in the 2025 NFL draft.

First up for us are Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. They make the University of Colorado offense go, and they proved it this week against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.

Hunter has all the makings of the next great two-way athlete in the NFL. I want to see more of him this year before I make any decisions about which side of the football he will be best at in the NFL, but given the Steelers’ needs, if they had a chance to draft arguably the best cornerback and second-best wide receiver at the same time, they shouldn’t pass that up.

Sanders is one of the most polarizing players in college football thanks to his high-profile dad — Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders — along with his extravagant lifestyle and up-and-down play. But make no mistake, when it comes to traits at quarterback, Sanders has a ton of physical tools and shows a high football IQ. The Steelers have no quarterbacks under contract for the 2025 season, and that alone makes quarterback a first-round need.

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Tyreek Hill says Travis Hunter should be NFL’s top draft pick in 2025

One of the NFL’s top stars believes Travis Hunter should be the No. 1 overall draft pick next year

If Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is impressed by your athleticism, you might be the most athletic human in the world.

In the case of Colorado football two-way star Travis Hunter, that very well may be true.

Hill, like many other celebrities and athletes, took to social media on Thursday evening to talk about the Buffs’ season-opening win over the North Dakota State Bison. After watching Hunter, a junior, reel in seven catches for 132 yards while tying a school record with three receiving touchdowns, Hill endorsed Hunter for the NFL’s top draft pick in 2025.

Here’s what Hill wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/cheetah/status/1829355252576850304

That post came at 9:07 p.m. MT, almost 20 minutes after Hunter’s unreal third TD grab that came off the shoulder of an NDSU cornerback.

Hill’s comments hold weight due to him being one of the NFL’s speediest receivers. He ran a 4.29 at the NFL Combine and a 20.14-second 200-meter dash at Oklahoma State, which would have placed him seventh in the final 200m sprint at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While Hunter is speedy, maybe not as fast as the man nicknamed “cheetah,” his all-around athleticism is absurd. Between his hands, leaping ability, agility and so on, it’s hard to pick one thing he does the best. Well, maybe it’s the fact that he displayed all those traits on 129 of the 131 snaps played at Folsom Field on Thursday night.

With Hill and the rest of the nation most likely tuning in to catch CU’s Week 2 rivalry matchup against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Sept. 7, Hunter will once again try to tap into his super-human abilities to get the Buffs a win.

“I got no personal goals,” Hunter said after the game. “I just want my team to win every week.”

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