Travis Hunter may not be revealing where he’ll land or which teams are his favorites, nor is he concerned with whether he’ll be drafted first overall or further down the board. However, one thing he’s been consistent about is his desire to play on both sides of the ball.
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The Heisman winner has made it clear that he wants to continue playing as both a CB and WR, a dual role he has maintained since high school. Now, he has confidently asserted that he can handle every snap in the NFL on both sides. Despite his strong conviction, Shannon Sharpe remains unconvinced.
In the latest episode of The Nightcap, the Hall of Famer shared his thoughts on Travis Hunter’s statement. While Shannon Sharpe doesn’t take issue with the idea of the Heisman winner playing on both sides of the ball—something he believes many players could do—his concern lies in the efficiency and ability to perform at an elite level on both sides.
“The issue is not playing both of them. Can you play both of them well? There is a difference. There are levels. How well will he play both sides of the ball? That’s the question. Do I believe he is going to play every snap? No, he’s not. If he plays both sides of the ball, he gets hurt and miss a game. Guess what I got. I’m down two players.”
Sharpe pointed out that there have been some exceptional college players who tried to play both ways but struggled to do so at the same level in the NFL. Additionally, he remains worried about the Heisman winner’s safety.
Several players in NFL history have played on both sides of the ball, such as Deion Sanders, Troy Brown, Champ Bailey, Mike Vrabel, and Julian Edelman. The most recent player to do so was J.J. Watt. However, none of these players played full-time on both offense and defense.
The last player to truly play both ways full-time was Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik, who played center and linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1950s and 1960s. Bednarik was a 10-time First Team All-Pro and an 8-time Pro Bowler.
While Ocho agrees with Shannon that Travis Hunter can’t realistically play every snap as both a cornerback and a wide receiver, he admires the Buffs star’s self-belief and loves the idea of seeing him play both positions. However, he too wants Hunter to pick one role full-time and master it. Ocho believes that excelling in one position is more valuable than being a jack of all trades.
“I like the confidence though. Now, I would love for him to do is you got to focus on one thing. You got to be great at one thing. You cannot be great at DB and great at receiver. You have to become a craftsman at one or the other. Me, personally I like him playing both. I enjoy watching him play on both sides of the ball. Will he be able to do an elite level? I don’t know.”
There is, however, one person who has consistently believed in Travis Hunter’s ability to play both sides of the ball — his coach, Deion Sanders. Coach Prime has had unwavering faith in his student throughout college and continues to believe Hunter can excel in dual roles at the next level.
Deion’s reasoning? He thinks the pace of the NFL game will actually make it easier for Hunter to succeed in both positions. According to Sanders, the pro game is slower, with more frequent stoppages and teams huddling between plays, allowing for more recovery time.
Another factor in Hunter’s favor, according to Coach Prime, is the increased player protection in the NFL. Unlike in college, where excessive contact is more common, the league enforces stricter rules to limit unnecessary hits. This could help Hunter manage the physical demands of playing both offense and defense.
He is confident that once Hunter adjusts to the pace and rhythm of the NFL, he will thrive. He even advocates for teams to use him on 70 percent of offensive snaps, believing that’s a realistic workload for someone of Hunter’s talent.
The NFL is a different animal, and Travis Hunter will face significant challenges if he attempts to carry the workload of playing both offense and defense, especially with the potential for 130 snaps per game. Teams are unlikely to pay him $55-$60 million for playing both positions. In fact, playing both roles could increase his risk of injury, potentially shortening his career.
While playing both sides could land him in the record books, the question remains: is there a real incentive to play as both a cornerback and wide receiver?
