Whether you’re a believer or a naysayer, everyone seems to have an opinion on the two-way football sensation that is Travis Hunter. From his 2024 Heisman-winning campaign to his assertion that he will in fact routinely play both sides of the ball in the NFL, the Colorado product is well on his way to becoming the next face of the league.
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However, some feel as if the hype surrounding Hunter isn’t as big as it should be. During a recent appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, the former Pittsburgh Steeler, Ryan Clark, suggested that the football community has failed to properly inform the masses of just how talented the former Buffalo actually is.
According to Clark, while Hunter may not be the best at any one position, his overall talent and capabilities to play both DB and WR to a sufficient level are nothing short of impressive.
“Travis Hunter played the whole game on offense, and then would switch and go play the entire game on defense. I can’t say that he’s the best wide receiver I’ve ever seen in college; he’s not. I can’t say he’s the best corner I’ve ever seen in college. He is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best to have ever done both simultaneously,” he said passionately.
Given the unprecedented nature of Hunter’s skill set, many struggle with finding an adequate NFL player to compare him to. However, the one-time Super Bowl champion in Clark suggested that Hunter may be closer to the legendary Charles Woodson than perhaps anybody else.
“Charles Woodson is my favorite football player of all time. I used to watch him at Michigan, and they would put him in the game for like 15 plays on offense, 10 plays on offense, and he’d return a punt. You knew that when he got in the game, he was getting the ball, because they weren’t going to waste him.”
Woodson was a dual-threat player during his time at the University of Michigan, playing both on offense and defense. He was a cornerback on defense and also played wide receiver, punt returner, and kick returner on offense. His dual-threat ability was a key factor in his winning the Heisman Trophy in 1998, becoming the only primarily defensive player to win the award.
While Clark certainly seems to believe that Hunter is more than capable of performing at a high level, he also has some concerns about what Hunter’s day-to-day life may look like.
In noting that both offensive players and defensive players are required to spend hours a day studying playbooks and film just to master one position, the one-off pro bowler couldn’t help but fear that there may not be enough hours in the day for the rookie.
Considering that Hunter will also need a fair bit of rest for the sake of his own safety and well-being, Clark struggled to envision the perfect schedule.
“I think we’re trying to simplify it to ‘What is it going to be like when the ball gets kicked off?’ What is his life going to be like? He already, in talking about load management, he wouldn’t practice the first day of the week at Colorado… At 21, 22 years old, people don’t want to walk in and say ‘Hey man, when all these veterans are still practicing on Wednesday, you get the day off.’ It’s going to take such a toll for that young man to do that.”
Jacksonville’s experiment with Hunter will likely be a learning experience for everyone. While some growing pains and the occasional conflict of schedule are bound to happen, the project still has the potential to turn the football meta upside down, making it well worth the risk.
