Travis Hunter: NFL Teams Will Win If They Let Him To 'Do It His Way'

The Heisman winner needs a team and coach aligned with Coach Prime's vision for Hunter to succeed in the NFL.

Travis Hunter - SI | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

"I'm not going to let anybody tell me that I can't do something that I've already done," Travis Hunter said to SI's Pat Forde. Hunter is expected to be the No. 1 draft choice for one of the teams selecting in the top five of the 2025 NFL Draft.

This week, he's wrangled the feathers of the draft experts on talk shows in the print and online digital publications since he told CBS Sports, "It's up to them to want me to be on their team and the organization to believe that they can let me do exactly what I want to do, and that's play both sides of the ball and be the same Travis that I was in college and better."

His confidence isn't as ostentatious as the man he loves and respects like a father, Deion Sanders; however, the impact he's already and will have on the game of football is unquestionable.    

“It’s just hating,” Hunter says. “They dislike Coach Prime, so they’ll try to take shots at us. A lot of people are going to make a mistake if they pass him up.”

Travis Hunter on Shedeur Sanders

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) catches a pass at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

HUNTER DISPELLED THE 'CUT BELOW' NARRATIVE ABOUT HBCUs

Debating whether he will succeed as a cornerback or wide receiver is as silly as when many critics claimed he made a colossal mistake by selecting Jackson State over Florida State, Alabama, or Georgia.  

Forde wrote, "Jackson State, an HBCU at the FCS level — a cut below the top rung of college football, and light years removed from the power programs like Florida State." If being "a cut below" is the prevailing narrative, then how did Hunter and Shedeur Sanders manage to have collegiate careers that could lead to them being first-round draft picks?

Weil, "One Heisman Trophy Later." It's time to stop doubting Travis Hunter. It may also be time to stop doubting the talent being developed at HBCUs. Jackson State has a rich tradition, producing a several former No. 1 draft picks named Don Reese, Walter Payton, Robert Brazile, and Jackie Slater.

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter with head coach Deion Sanders after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images | Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER TO TRAVIS

Deion Sanders cultivated a strong relationship with Hunter, which was vital for his development. Sanders possessed a remarkable vision that allowed Hunter to flourish at a HBCU, ultimately leading him to win the Heisman Trophy. In an FBS program, there was a risk that Hunter might have been confined to playing only on defense, which would have limited his unique talents.

Also under Sanders' mentorship, the young bass fisherman developed a family bond, paving the way for what is expected to be a stellar professional football career.

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

LET TRAVIS BE TRAVIS

Travis Hunter is a force multiplier. His actual value is on the field instead of on the sidelines. Should the day ever arrive that Hunter discovers he's becoming ineffective as a two-way player, it will be the same day Lex Luther weaves kryptonite into the fabric of his NFL uniform. It's purely fictional and, to a point, mythical.

During his Heisman season, Hunter astounded spectators with what Forde pens as "precedent-shattering results of 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns; four interceptions, 11 passes broken up and 36 tackles; a nine-win season for the formerly downtrodden Buffaloes."

April 24 is approaching at a meteoric pace. Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, Robert McDaniel, Irv Mulligan, and Phillip Webb will make HBCU football fans proud, especially the Jackson State faithful.  

Travis Hunter is a young man who still understands life as he makes it — advice to the NFL team and coaches selecting Mr. Hunter, "Let Travis Be."

Will they listen and continue to fit the proverbial square peg into the round hole?

We shall see.

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