Only Travis Hunter And Deion Sanders Share This Exclusive Two-Way NFL Stat

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter is pursuing his NFL career playing both wide receiver and cornerback. The former Colorado star has been stepping up each week, reaching a stat last achieved by the Buffaloes' coach Deion Sanders with the Dallas Cowboys.

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) reacts after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter was a highly anticipated player to watch this season as he looked to play both wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL. Coming out of the Colorado Buffaloes, Hunter was coached by an NFL Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders.

Sanders is one of the most notable defensive backs in NFL history, but he was also a versatile player, playing as a receiver in the league. With that, both Sanders and Hunter share a statistic that only the two of them have had in the last 30 years.

Sanders And Hunter Share Rare NFL Stat

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Hunter has now played four games with the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing both offense and defense. In four games, he has had 13 receptions for 118 yards. Defensively, he has 11 total tackles. Hunter has recorded at least three receptions and two tackles in multiple games this season.

The last player to do that was Sanders in 1996 with the Dallas Cowboys. In that season, Sanders finished with 26 receptions for 475 yards and 31 total tackles.

While Sanders is known more for being a defensive back, he finished his NFL career with 784 receiving yards, and his coaching at Colorado helped lead Hunter into becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

How Sanders Played A Role In Hunter’s Success

Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter (DB15) looks on during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Coming out of high school, Hunter was a five-star recruit, one of the most sought-after players in the nation. Hunter chose to enroll at Jackson State to play for Sanders, instead of some of the top schools in the nation, including the Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

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Playing for Sanders, Hunter not only had the opportunity to play both sides of the ball but also the chance to be coached by someone who successfully did the same in the NFL.

After spending the 2022 season with the Jackson State Tigers, Sanders took the head coaching position with the Colorado Buffaloes, bringing Hunter with him. With the Buffaloes, Sanders helped bring out Hunter’s potential.

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

As Colorado’s coach, Sanders brought national attention to the Buffaloes, which, in return, helped Hunter stand out quickly. By 2024, Hunter won the Heisman Trophy after having a stellar performance with the team. 

That season, he totaled 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, the most on the team. While putting up big numbers on the defense for Colorado, he also had 35 total tackles, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble, and four interceptions.

Hunter is a natural athlete who also worked hard enough to play two positions in college. After two seasons with the Colorado Buffaloes, Hunter went on to be a first-round draft pick and is putting up stats that only his former coach has done in the last 30 years.

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

“The more they use [Hunter], the more the other teams try him, you're gonna see the plays,” Sanders told CBS Colorado’s Romi Bean. “I just want to see them doing a better job of getting him involved in the offense because he's a big play waiting to happen.”