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The idea of the two-way athlete is nothing new in sports, but a new generation of phenomenal talents is making the idea more than feasible for a longer term. For example, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani has starred as both a pitcher and as a designated hitter -- he is a three-time MVP and is already regarded as one of the greatest baseball players in history.
Travis Hunter was Ohtani's "equivalent" in college football. Hunter starred as a cornerback and as a wide receiver for the Colorado Buffaloes; he won the Heisman Trophy in 2024 as he helped Colorado to its best season in nearly a decade. The NFL now beckons for Hunter, and he has been tipped as a possible #1 overall pick in April...but at what position?
Hunter poised to play defensive back in the NFL
Hunter has made a decision in advance of the NFL scouting combine, where he will be put through his paces and judged in a variety of physical and mental categories. Hunter is one of 329 prospects to receive an invite to the combine, held in Indianapolis between Feb. 24 and March 3...and the 21-year-old has been listed as a cornerback, and not as a wide receiver.
Despite catching 96 es for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, many believe that Hunter's best position in the NFL would be as a cornerback. Hunter's speed, ball skills, and big play potential would be unique traits among draft-eligible defensive backs in most years -- and given that elite NFL receivers tend to be bigger than Hunter, the 6'1'', 180-pound phenom might be a better fit defending players like A.J. Brown and Ja'Marr Chase than competing with them.
As a defensive back last season, Hunter recorded 36 tackles, 11 es defended, and four interceptions for a resurgent Colorado team. While he still may bulk up and play receiver in the NFL, Hunter clearly has been advised to work out for teams as a cornerback -- just as his college head coach Deion Sanders did ahead of the 1989 draft, after which he embarked on a legendary NFL career.