What Position NFL Executives Believe Colorado Buffaloes' Travis Hunter Should Play

Colorado Buffaloes cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter is one of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. NFL executives believe that Hunter can play both positions, but will he have to prioritize one?

Angela Miele | Mar 22, 2025

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter speaks to the press after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

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Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter is one of the most versatile players in football. One of the biggest debates throughout the preparations for the 2025 NFL Draft is which position Hunter should play in the NFL.

Hunter has been open about wanting to play offense and defense in the NFL. The former Heisman winner understands that it is something he has to prove that he can do, but he will work for it.

“I can do everything for real. I can do anything in a football field,” Hunter said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “If they say I’m coming in as a corner, I’m gonna say I can work for receiver.”

Hunter elaborated on the fact that he has to earn the opportunity to play both the offense and defense in the NFL. Hunter talked about proving himself on the "Travis Hunter Show."

“I have to prove that I can do it. So that’s my main thing. I'm gonna prove that I’m gonna do it and I can do it. So he’s not telling no lie. I still got to prove it,” Hunter said. “I just can’t go into the league, and they just say, ‘Oh, here you go, Trav, you could do all this,’ and I don’t go out and show up how I’m supposed to show up.”

There is beginning to be a growing acceptance that Hunter will play both positions but has to prioritize one. There is a risk playing both positions, creating a higher risk of injuries. With Hunters’ talent, it is hard to limit him to one side of the ball, and teams will likely look for a way that he can play both positions.

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ESPN’s Matt Miller explained that one NFL executive believes Hunter is a cornerback who “could play a handful of snaps” at wide receiver.

The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick. Titans coach Brian Callahan spoke about how Hunter should be played ahead of the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.

"He's got a really unique skill set that I don't think there's many players you can compare him to," Callahan said. "He probably starts at corner, and then you find ways to interject him into the offense as he gets more comfortable, he plays more and more offensively.”

“But, I think corner is probably his starting point, in my opinion. You might get varied opinions on that, and I think he's got a real role as a receiver," Callahan continued.

Dec 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter before the game against the Bellarmine Knights at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots, who hold the No. 4 overall NFL Draft pick, believe Hunter is the top wide receiver and the top cornerback in the draft, per Karen Guregian of MassLive. With the belief that he can play both, if Hunter falls to four, the Patriots are a team that is likely to work up a way for Hunter to play both positions.

In 2024, Hunter recorded 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 36 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, four interceptions, and 11 passes defended. Hunter is expected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft and one of the first two non-quarterbacks taken off the board.

The 2025 NFL Draft takes place April 24-26, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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