The Colorado Buffaloes are often times unpredictable. When expectations are high they may underperform, and when they are taken for granted they ball out. Whatever version we witness from Deion Sanders‘ team, there is always one constant. And his name is Travis Hunter. The star two-way player shows up week in and week out. Sanders had a big prediction for Hunter after many years under his tutelage.
Sanders and Hunter go way back. Of course not more than Deion, Shedeur, and Shilo do, but it is still a long history. Hunter has been by Sanders’ side since his Jackson State days and Deion has been there through Hunter’s rise to college football stardom.
Hunter is a certified superstar in the NCAA. That is out of the question. But as the star WR/CB is set to be a first round draft pick in the NFL 2025 Draft, the skepticism is on whether he can play both sides of the ball efficiently at the professional level. Sanders knows Hunter on a deep level and has worked with him for so many years, there is probably no opinion as qualified as his on this matter.
“I think he’s a great complement to their game (in the NFL), and he can continue to do what he’s doing now,“ Sanders said, per USA Today.
September 7, 2024 Lincoln, NE. U.S. – Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on to the field to talk with Colorado Buffaloes Travis Hunter 12 in action during a NCAA, College League, USA Division 1 football game between Colorado Buffalos and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE.
Sanders explained how an overlooked difference between the NCAA and NFL playstyle could contribute to Hunter’s success.
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“I just finished talking to scouts about this, about what he can and cannot do. Pros go to huddle, so he’s even getting more time to rest, so most teams you play (in college), they run some type of a tempo or the transition is much greater than pros from snap to snap. So with him getting that amount of rest, he cannot help but be a great pro. The practices are limited. There’s barely no contact. You can’t even hit a receiver downfield in the NFL no more.“
Hunter makes his case for Heisman
Hunter has had a great start to the season. Even during the Buffaloes’ embarassing loss to the Cornhuskers, Hunter had a good individual outing. Colorado is not expected to make a run for the National Championship, but Hunter has week in and week out helped his team be at their best possible.
Travis Hunter is the biggest talent in college football. The workload he has on every gameday is incomparable to any other. And if he manages to keep his stats as great as they have been so far, then there is no reason to not declare him the most valuable player in the nation.
Hunter had 100 yards and two touchdowns during Colorado’s victory over Colorado State. He added an interception on his defensive shifts. As the game was out of reach and after he chased down an opponent on a long run, Hunter called it a day and headed for the sideline.
“It’s probably the first time I did that,” Hunter said.
What’s next for Hunter and the Buffaloes?
After a much needed win in the Rocky Mountain Showdown, the Buffaloes are back at Boulder for their homecoming game. Standing across the field will be the Baylor Bears. Both teams own a 2-1 record and are coming off big victories looking to build on them as they kickstart their Big 12 schedule.
Travis Hunter recently set a school record as the first player to record four straight 100-yards receiving games. Hunter will look to add onto the milestone with another big performance against the Bears. Baylor’s defense has allowed 227 total yards through the air in three games this season. Hunter averages 114 receiving yards per game, this season.
