As NFL scouts and general managers continue to assess the dilemma that is Travis Hunter’s two-way play ability, the former Colorado Buffalo gave everyone a final glimpse at his talents during Colorado’s pro day. In an attempt to showcase the legitimacy of his hands and ball-hawking capabilities, the 2024 Heisman trophy winner notoriously showed up to the event without a pair of gloves.
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On the latest episode the aptly titled Travis Hunter Show, the 21-year-old phenom recapped his final performance in front of scouts prior to the 2025 NFL Draft.
In suggesting that the event was a bit redundant on account of his athletic profile, Hunter explained that this was his way of attempting to stand out even further.
“Showing up with no gloves is just telling them, I can show up and catch the ball. You should know that already. If you want to see me run routes, I can run routes. A lot of people don’t understand that, on certain routes, we’re there to show footwork and the quick twitch.”
Feeling as if he has shown all that there is to show, Hunter is more than content with his final pre-draft performance. Colorado’s premier product will now work exclusively behind the scenes until April 24th arrives, with the opinions of the NFL’s brass being the only ones that matter now.
As far the online criticisms are concerned, Hunter isn’t having it. Currently slated to be a top-three pick in his draft class, the former Buffalo is brimming with confidence.
“For all the people that want to pick on me and try to tell me that I don’t know what I’m doing, I have a Heisman trophy and y’all are sitting on the couch. I know what I’m doing, most of y’all don’t know what y’all doing. Couch coaches.”
In light of the media onslaught that his former teammate, Shedeur Sanders, is currently experiencing ahead of the draft, Hunter is seemingly no longer willing to entertain the external chatter from social media. Given that fans won’t be the ones making the decisions on draft night, perhaps that’s for the best.
Given his success on both offense and defense, Hunter is certainly willing to bet that he knows more about running routes than the general populace. Asserting that “there’s a reason I caught 96 passes,” the dual-threat prospect made it clear that he has the athleticism required to get open on NFL defenders.
“I wasn’t just running straight, you’ve got to be able to make some type of move… They are not about to just sit there. I’ve played defense too… A lot of y’all just don’t understand football.”
In a day and age where athletes are more susceptible to external criticisms than ever before, the former Buffalo’s comments make it abundantly clear that he will not be tolerating it throughout his upcoming professional career. Having thick skin is a requirement in the NFL, and Hunter’s gloveless performance certainly proved that he has just that.
