Travis Hunter has become a prodigy in the football world, projected as a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But things could have turned out very differently if the two-way star had simply chased the money. At the beginning of the 2023 season, Coach Prime revealed that other schools had attempted to lure his prized possession away with absurd amounts of cash.
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Deion Sanders made the move from Jackson State to the University of Colorado in 2022. In doing so, Shedeur Sanders, Shilo Sanders, and Hunter all transferred with him to help turn around the Buffs program. After a disappointing season, the program has rebounded by maintaining a winning record and securing a bowl game. However, this success might not have been possible if Hunter had accepted the $1.5 million offer to leave Deion’s school.
“People offered Travis Hunter a bag. About $1.5 million to try to lure him and buy him out of the transfer portal. But Travis is not the kind of guy that can be bought. He isn’t built like that. Travis is a relational young man that is built on relationships and stability. And that’s what he wanted and desired. That is why he decided to ride and stay with us,” Sanders told 247 Sports.
The culprit? Well, there’s no official source of who was trying to flip Hunter. But it’s rumored that Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia were the teams in question. Unsurprising, to say the least. Georgia ranked third in NIL money spent in 2024. And Ohio State was first. But the money never swayed Hunter.
Instead of chasing the bag, he decided to stay and get mentored by Deion. And guess what? The money is now chasing him. Hunter had an NIL valuation of $5.2 million this past season, making him one of the most marketable athletes in the country.
It was also smart of Hunter to stay with Deion because he’s the only ever successful two-way player the NFL has seen — something that Travis is trying to achieve as well. He plans to play both cornerback and wide receiver for whichever team selects him, a skill that undoubtedly would make him one of the best in the game if he can do it at the highest level.
Ultimately, things have paid off for Hunter. He’s not just a top-three NFL draft prospect, he’s one of the most popular athletes in the world right now. He won the Heisman trophy as well, and pundits believe he is a generational talent. It’s hard to imagine a world where he transferred and played in different colors in ’23-’24.
The fact that Hunter declined to pursue the money should tell NFL executives all they need to know about his personality. He’s not a sell-out, as money has never seemed to be an issue to him. He chose to forgo several other NIL deals that could have made him richer in Colorado. He also reportedly gave most of his money from this past season to his teammates. Travis even donates quite often to charitable causes.
Hunter seems like a really good person. And whoever ends up with his services in the 2025 NFL Draft is going to at least be pleased with the way he carries himself. He’s not cocky, he’s confident. He’s not greedy, he’s humble and hungry.
