Unless you’ve been living under a rock, his name is Travis Hunter and he’s taking college football by storm. He’s about to make the leap from hotshot rookie to household name. Hunter is a native of Suwanee, Georgia. Throughout his prep career at Collins Hill High School, he was lauded as a generational talent. He proved vast offensive and defensive talent, versatility that has always distinguished him over the course of his career.
Hunter enjoyed a historic debut season at Jackson State University, led by coach Deion Sanders. In 2023, he took the plunge and announced his decision to transfer to the University of Colorado. His college journey has seen him excel at receiver and cornerback, culminating in an impressive stat line: 222 catches for 3,030 yards and 36 touchdowns, alongside 12 interceptions for 235 yards and two defensive touchdowns. He provides a huge gravitational force on the game, whether he’s on offense or defense. That’s turned the heads of NFL scouts and electrified football fans from coast to coast.
Hunter’s high school coach, Fountain, is one of the first to see that potential long ago. “He was focused and destined for greatness,” Fountain remarked. He further elaborated on Hunter’s character, stating, “Everybody sees Travis as the famous Travis. I see Travis as the little kid that used to ride home with me after school and ride to school with me in the morning.” That optimism comes from an acute awareness of Hunter’s quest — and a truly faithful support system that’s been with him throughout that journey.
Hunter’s college career began with a bang. His first career reception came in his Jackson State debut, where he caught two touchdowns. He flashed his coverage skills by recording two interceptions in an exciting spring game. His rookie campaign was severely affected by a mysterious nagging injury that kept him out for five games. Despite an unfortunate tear, he made an even more remarkable return. He ended the season with 18 catches for 188 yards, four TDs, two INTs, and even had a defensive TD.
In 2023, after transferring to Colorado, Hunter was an immediate impact player. He caught 11 passes for 119 yards in a shocking season-opening upset of TCU. On the defensive side of the ball, he registered three tackles and intercepted a pass on defense. As the season went on, he started to really turn a corner. Most notably, he intercepted four passes and allowed a stunningly low quarterback rating of just 21.6 against him.
Adversity struck again when Hunter accidentally sliced his liver open in Week 3 during the game against Colorado State. This injury took surgery to repair it and forced him to miss three games. Yet his determination never wavered. As Hunter prepares to take the next step into the professional world, one thing stays consistent, he’s keeping his eyes on the prize. “I’m going to come out and do my job,” he said with his trademark bravado. “In order for me to say that, I would have said I’m going to change this or change that. I don’t want to raise the bar too much.”
Coaches at Colorado remain excited about Hunter’s potential to impact the next level. Beyond keeping him involved in offensive sets, they want to start to mix in some of those defensive packages built around his skill set on defense. “We want it to look like what it looked like at Colorado,” said offensive coordinator Sean Coen. And that would be terrific for us.
Hunter’s previous coaches have always spoken highly about his maturity and work ethic. “He was different from the day he stepped foot on campus,” noted defensive backs coach Riddley. He was light years ahead. He ain’t afraid to work. He cares about the process, he cares about doing all the things outside of the sport that are going to make him a better athlete on the field. Comments like that, both on and off the field, underscore Hunter’s commitment to his teammates and his craft.
Hunter, meanwhile, is preparing for his NFL draft debut. Most people think he’ll sail through the pressures and temptations of pro football with no problems. Fountain is confident that Hunter’s previous experiences will help him stay level-headed when presented with the possible pitfalls that come with money and celebrity. “I don’t see an NFL check or NFL lifestyle changing that,” he said.
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