After an electric 2024 campaign at Colorado managed to captivate both the Heisman trophy and the nation as a whole, Travis Hunter has officially joined the ranks of the National Football League. Some last-minute, draft-day drama saw the Jacksonville Jaguars trade a bundle of picks, including their first-round pick for 2026, to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the opportunity to draft Hunter with the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Suffice to say, the Jaguars thought his talent and skill set were undeniable, however, the greatness of Hunter wasn’t always as obvious to others. During the family’s recently released draft day documentary, his mother claimed that she was always aware of his talents, while his father admitted to not being a believer at first.
In response to being asked when they first knew that Hunter had the potential to make it to the NFL, his mother exclaimed that she had known “All his life, since the first time he picked up a football.”
While it’s rather easy to state that you always believed in someone after they’ve already reached the pinnacle of success, Hunter’s mom has maintained the same level of confidence throughout his football career. After he was officially awarded the 2024 Heisman trophy, she once again reminded the masses about her everlasting belief as a mother.
Upon being asked to share her initial thoughts and reactions to the news, she proudly stated that:
“They finally realized what I already knew, that he’s him. He’s always been him. With or without trophies, he’s still Heisman. He’s more than that. He just brought the value that people needed to see him as a person.”
While his mother certainly believed in him from day one, his father, on the other hand, needed a bit of time before ultimately seeing the vision.
“When he was around seven years old. There’s a lot of things that you see, like when his coaches would tell him what to do, he’d automatically know what to do. He never had to come off of the field since that day,” he revealed.
Clearly, no one will ever be a greater fan of yours than your mother. For all of the success and accomplishments that he has enjoyed throughout his football career, Hunter’s greatest trophy is undoubtedly his family.
His dad’s recounting of events aligned with those previously discussed by Hunter’s first-ever trainer, Coach Drew, giving an air of credibility to the idea that Hunter’s talents were relatively hidden right up until the moment that they revealed themselves on the field. Nevertheless, the Jaguars are clearly thrilled to now be the owners of that incredibly diverse skill set.
The two-way sensation is currently spending the last bit of free time that he has with his loved ones before he is ultimately tasked with turning his attention towards the upcoming 2025 regular season, where millions of spectators and critics alike are expected to tune in to witness the debut of a potentially meta-defining player.
