Travis Hunter followed his Sanders brethren to Colorado when “Coach Prime” became the Buffaloes’ head coach. Hunter became the first true two-way player to win the Heisman Trophy in 2024. Charles Woodson (1999) played some offense when he captured the award but was predominantly a defender.
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He played regularly on both sides of the ball. That opportunity is likely not something he would have received had he not played for Deion Sanders.
However, it wasn’t Deion, Shedeur, or even Shilo Sanders who had the biggest impact on Hunter’s collegiate preparation.
Hunter posted a short from The Travis Hunter Show on Wednesday evening, answering a fan question asking if there was a “specific teammate” that helped him adapt to Division I competition. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner pointed to safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig as his “go-to person.”
“[He’s] my boy… He took me under his wing. I did pretty much everything. How he prepared, how he studied the playbook, the eating. workouts… that was my workout buddy for probably the last two years. Cam was definitely like my go-to person. If I needed him to pick me up, take me to practice, he was always there.”
Silmon-Craig also made the trek from Jackson State to Colorado with Hunter and the Sanders family. He recorded 94 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three passes defended, and two interceptions in 2024. He is listed as the 191st-best available prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft on nfldraftscout.com. That placement correlates to sixth-round status.
Deion developed Hunter’s cornerback abilities; Shedeur helped him flex as a wideout. Without their assistance, he wouldn’t be the player he is today. He acknowledged this as much when he accepted the Heisman back in December.
“I want to thank Coach Prime [and] Shedeur. Man, y’all changed my life forever. That one simple phone call, Shedeur, and look where I’m at. Man, that’s crazy bro. It’s crazy… I’m thankful for both of y’all… you changed my life forever. I told you that multiple times. I really appreciate all of it.”
Hunter now awaits the 2025 NFL Draft, taking place Apr. 25-27 in Green Bay. He has FanDuel Sportsbook’s third-best odds (+340) to go No. 1 overall in the event, behind Cam Ward (+110) and edge rusher Abdul Carter (+210). Shedeur Sanders, the longtime favorite, now sits fourth in the hierarchy (+500).
