Consensus No. 1 Recruit Travis Hunter Flips to Jackson State

Hunter is an elite prospect at cornerback and wide receiver as he gets ready to join head coach Deion Sanders at the HBCU.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Dec 15, 2021 3:00 PM EST

CINCINNATI — Jackson State head coach Deion "Primetime" Sanders told people on the Barstool Sports Pro Football Football Show that he would shock the nation this week. Sanders did just that by flipping consensus No. 1 recruit Travis Hunter to Jackson State.

The cornerback and wide receiver is the top overall recruit on the SI99, Rivals, and 247Sports rankings. He is ranked No. 2 behind defensive tackle Walter Nolan on the ESPN 300. He committed to Florida State in March 2020.

"Florida State has always been a beacon for me," Hunter said on Twitter. "I grew up down there, that's where my roots are, and I never doubted that I would play for the Seminoles.

"It's a dream that is hard to let go of, but sometimes we are called to step into a bigger future than the one we imagined for ourselves. For me, that future is at Jackson State University."

The Tigers went 11-1 in 2021 and are playing South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 18. Rumors circled shortly after the flip that Hunter accepted a seven-figure NIL deal from Barstool Sports to go to Jackson State. Sanders is a Barstool employee and the sports media site put together a Hard Knocks-style documentary on Sanders' team over the past year.

New York Post sports/entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel reached out to Barstool founder Dave Portnoy for answers.

The NIL payment was not confirmed, but if Hunter did strike a deal with Barstool, it's another sign that the game of college football recruiting has changed forever. All while Florida State head coach Mike Norvell scratches his head in Tallahassee, Florida.

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