• Travis Hunter played an iron-man snap count in 2023: The Colorado star played an astounding 1,044 snaps (452 on offense and 592 on defense) in 2023, which is even more impressive knowing he missed three games.
• Making the case for why cornerback is Hunter’s most impactful position: Right now, the data suggests Hunter has a brighter NFL outlook at receiver. But the eye test says his play style and potential ceiling make cornerback his best pro spot.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
As we prepare for the upcoming college football season and, by proxy, the 2025 NFL Draft, we are getting a little more detailed in our scouting. Instead of highlighting a certain position group or general thoughts on the class, we'll examine a true unicorn, one who epitomizes “uniqueness” to its fullest extent. That is Colorado superstar Travis Hunter.
Anyone who follows college football recruiting knows that skill position players are sometimes labeled “athlete” or “ATH” in their recruiting profile. This is mostly because they play multiple positions in high school at a high enough level that recruiting sites, and even college coaching staffs, aren’t exactly sure where they will play in college. But, generally — and when I say generally, I mean 99% of the time — these players find an established position on one side of the ball.
That’s not the case with Hunter, who lines up as both a starting wide receiver and a starting outside cornerback for the Buffaloes on Deion Sanders’ depth chart.
Hunter played an astounding 1,044 snaps (452 on offense and 592 on defense) in 2023, which is even more impressive knowing he missed three games. That was the second-most total offensive and defensive snaps of any FBS player, trailing only USF center Mike Lofton, who recorded 1,050 snaps. Across nine games, Hunter averaged 116 offensive and defensive snaps.
Hunter was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 class, donning that “ATH” label before committing to Florida State. Sanders’ recruiting train got on the tracks at Jackson State, though, and in what was truly the greatest recruiting surprise of all time, Hunter flipped his commitment to play for the Tigers in the FCS.
During his freshman campaign at Jackson State, Hunter played much more cornerback than receiver, logging 503 snaps on defense compared to just 87 on offense. Where you would think a jump up to the FBS at Colorado might have narrowed his position alignment, Hunter’s versatility only became more robust when he followed Sanders to the Buffaloes in 2023.
Despite his heavy usage, Hunter’s PFF grades have remained solid all around. At Jackson State in 2022, he earned an 85.8 PFF overall grade on offense with an 85.8 receiving grade. On defense, he earned an 82.0 PFF overall grade with a 72.2 run-defense grade and an 82.3 coverage grade. Then, across almost double the total snaps in 2023, he earned a 78.0 offensive grade, a 78.9 receiving grade, a 74.8 defensive grade, a 71.7 run-defense grade and a 74.7 coverage grade.
Josh Newton is really good, and Travis Hunter effortlessly stacks him and beats him vertically. Insane talent pic.twitter.com/nLo8vP8rHz
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) September 5, 2023
Hunter is currently the No. 5 wide receiver in PFF’s summer/preseason rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft. His receiving grade versus single coverage in 2023 placed him in the 71st percentile, and his separation rate versus single coverage was a 67th-percentile clip. He is an excellent athlete with the requisite acceleration, change of direction, balance, fluidity and top speed to rack up yards after the catch. Right now, he wins as a receiver mostly by being a better athlete rather than with true route-running nuance, but that only makes his ceiling more alluring; there’s more room to grow, technically.
Some believe Hunter’s best position in the NFL is as an outside cornerback. His advanced data points there weren’t as favorable in 2023 as they were for him as a receiver. His 56.4 single coverage grade ranked in just the 10th percentile, but he placed in the 59th percentile in forced incompletion percentage while showcasing impressive ball skills.
The Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter hype isn't overblown. He's a top-10 pick at CB.
Completely blown away by his anticipation of opponent tendencies. Routinely feels like he's in their huddle by how well he's jumping routes. pic.twitter.com/tg3PVttnjq
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) July 12, 2024
He seems to be more comfortable and confident in off-zone coverage, which allows him to keep his eyes on the quarterback more to break on passes, as shown above. He has some truly impressive read-and-react plays at cornerback that only the best can make. His slender build does give him some trouble when he’s aligned in press, an issue that also comes up in contested-catch situations. But Hunter is certainly not afraid of playing tough and hand-fighting.
Hunter is listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds. As a receiver, that would rank in the 48th and 15th percentiles, respectively, for NFL standards. As a cornerback, he would be 71st and 19th percentiles, respectively. There aren’t as many longer cornerbacks who can move as Hunter does, which lends itself to him playing cornerback at the next level. But that doesn’t make him any less of a receiver.
Right now, the data suggests Hunter has a brighter NFL outlook at receiver. But the eye test says his play style and potential ceiling make cornerback his best pro spot.
The best part is that Hunter doesn’t have to choose yet; instead, we just get to enjoy him playing both sides of the ball for Colorado in 2024.
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