His last name may not be “Sanders”, but Travis Hunter and his head coach consider themselves to be family. So, when former NFL player and current FOX Sports analyst Mark Ingram asked Deion Sanders who would win a one-on-one matchup between him and Hunter, the Buffaloes’ head coach couldn’t bring himself to answer.
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“That’s just like putting me against one of my kids. You can’t put a father against a son. You can’t do that, man. Don’t do that,” he said emphatically.
Hunter was the top player in 247Sports’ 2022 recruiting class. Labeled “CB1 and WR1”, Hunter was courted by every big-name college football program from Alabama to Washington.
Despite having his pick of every highly-touted school, he decided to embark on his own path and committed to play for Deion Sanders at FCS-level Jackson State.
After spending his first year with the Tigers, Hunter followed Sanders to Colorado in 2023. Since arriving in Boulder, Hunter has played with both of Sanders’ children, running routes for quarterback Shedeur Sanders on offense and roaming the secondary with Shilo Sanders defensively.
Hunter has excelled on both sides of the ball in the 2024 campaign, hauling in 30 receptions for 342 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver while recording 11 tackles, two pass defenses, and an interception as a cornerback.
However, NFL scouts aren’t convinced Hunter will be able to sustain two-way success as a professional, but Sanders believes he could – and should – be allowed to follow in his footsteps.
Making Hunter a one-way player would be a “coaching fault”
When discussing Hunter’s versatility on Big Noon Kickoff, Sanders first referenced his superstar’s talent as a cornerback. However, just moments later, he revealed he thinks having Hunter on the bench in any capacity would be a mistake.
“If he plays cornerback, and he’s being dominant out there… [and] you can’t move the ball [on offense]… [you’re gonna] say ‘well, my best receiver is on the sideline’… that’s gonna be a coaching fault.”
Sanders added that Hunter, first and foremost, “is a football player”, and that “you can’t have a football player on the sidelines.”
With Hunter dominating at both positions, it’s clear Sanders is not only talking the talk with his approach to utilizing Hunter, but walking the walk as well.
At the same time, the effusive praise and confidence he has in Hunter reflects the father/son nature of their relationship, which could lead scouts to take his words with a grain of salt.
However, someone who sailed to the heights Sanders reached during his playing days deserves the benefit of the doubt. We’ll find out if league personnel take his advice or try to pigeonhole Hunter shortly after he’s selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
