Fact Check: Did Travis Hunter Only Practice Defense at Deion Sanders’ Colorado?

Ever since Travis Hunter laced up for the Jaguars, a recurring theme around him has been his inability to replicate his Colorado two-way heroics. But on Monday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie finally had his ‘I have arrived’ moment, silencing skeptics with a breakout performance against the KC Chiefs, of all teams.

Playing both wide receiver and cornerback, Hunter hauled in four catches for a career-high 80 yards, while adding two tackles and a pass deflection on defense in a 31-28 victory.

But as his rise continues, old narratives from his college days have resurfaced … particularly one that questions his offensive preparation under Deion Sanders.

Claim: Following Travis Hunter’s MNF performance, a conversation on ESPN’s ManningCast sparked online chatter suggesting that the Jags star didn’t actually practice offense during his time in Boulder.

Source of the claim: During a discussion about Hunter’s unique two-way ability, Eli Manning claimed that Jaguars HC Liam Coen told him that the rookie “practiced zero with the offense” while at CU.

“When he was at Colorado, he practiced zero with the offense. He only practiced defense. They had a special system where the coaches would signal the formation to him and signal the route to him. You know, just improvised. Go out there and wing it. He’s still learning right now to be a receiver,” Manning said.

This remark quickly spread across social media, leading some to suggest that Hunter’s offensive development began only after reaching the NFL, crediting the Jaguars’ staff for ‘teaching him how to play receiver.’

Verdict: The claim is false. Eli Manning’s words do not hold up against facts because, for starters, Deion Sanders Jr., who was in close quarters with Travis Hunter at Colorado, was quick to shut down the narrative.

Taking to X, he wrote:

Don’t let them lie to you Mr Manning, he practiced Wr & DB equally. https://t.co/QjwvpnI9S8

— Deion Sanders Jr (@DeionSandersJr) October 7, 2025

Secondly, Travis Hunter’s college record paints a very different picture.

In 2024, under Deion Sanders at Boulder, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Buffaloes’ offense alongside quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

According to reports, Hunter played over 86% of the team’s offensive snaps while averaging more than 110 total snaps per game — evidence that he spent an immense amount of time preparing, studying, and executing on both sides of the ball.

Simply put, Hunter’s college tape and workload already made him one of the most NFL-ready two-way prospects in decades. And his Monday Night Football performance, where he became the first player in 20 years to start on both offense and defense, only reinforces that his development in Colorado was anything but winging it.

So while Eli Manning’s anecdote may have been a harmless retelling of what he’d heard, the claim doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Because the truth seems to be far simpler: Hunter worked really hard on his craft on both sides of the ball at Colorado, eventually becoming the 2024 Heisman winner and 2nd overall Draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.