Two-way players are all the rage in sports these days. For example, fans of LeBron James will often point to his play on defense when comparing him to the all-time greats, and Shohei Ohtani is doing otherworldly things at the plate while he rehabs an injury to his pitching arm.
But what Travis Hunter is doing in college football might be more impressive, as he’s the best player on the field at all times because he’s pretty much on the field at all times.
But Hunter didn’t arrive out of nowhere. His high school career foreshadowed the incredible feats he accomplished in college.
Travis Hunter: No. 1 Recruit at 2 Positions
Unsurprisingly, Hunter excelled at both wide receiver and cornerback at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga. He was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in the 2022 class, though different recruiting sites listed him at different positions.
Rivals and On3 ranked him the top athlete, ESPN ranked him the best corner, and 247Sports ranked him the top wide receiver.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
He was destined for greatness very early on, playing on both sides of the ball as a freshman on varsity. Sophomore year, he totaled 919 receiving yards and 36 tackles.
Then, as a junior, he had one of the greatest high school seasons ever.
On offense, Hunter had 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns as a receiver, adding 124 yards and a touchdown as a runner and 84 yards and two touchdowns as a passer.
Defensively, he had 51 tackles, eight interceptions and a forced fumble. There’s an argument to be made that he was the best offensive player and the best defensive player in the state of Georgia.
He followed that with a 1,300-yard, four-interception senior season, finishing his career with over 4,000 yards on offense and 19 interceptions on defense, more than worthy of his five-star ranking.
But Hunter would take a different path to college stardom.
No Acclimation Period in College: From Jackson State to Colorado
Not all five-star recruits find immediate success in college, but few five-star recruits are like Travis Hunter. He committed to Jackson State, the highest-rated recruit to ever enroll at an HBCU out of high school.
There, he would play for Deion Sanders, arguably the best two-way player in the history of football.
As a true freshman, Jackson State watched Hunter’s snap counts. He only had 18 catches, but he had 190 yards and four touchdowns. He made 19 tackles, deflected eight passes, and had two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. He also threw a touchdown.
When Sanders was hired at Colorado, Hunter followed. In 2023, he wasn’t on a “pitch count” of sorts. Hunter led the nation in total snaps, despite missing three games. He led the team in receiving and had three interceptions and five pass breakups.
In Week 1 of 2024, against North Dakota State, he missed two plays, both because he lost his helmet and was forced off the field.
Hunter might be the best player in college football, and scouts think he could be the first wide receiver or corner off the board, depending on where teams want him to play.
He’s played both ways for so long though, it wouldn’t surprise me if he played both ways in the NFL.
He’s that good.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the college football season schedule, and much more!