Colorado Buffaloes’ Heisman Trophy-winning two-way dynamo, Travis Hunter, doesn’t even know his professional destination yet. However, ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, the generational athlete has already penned his debut financial deal, partnering with renowned trading card company Panini America.
Heisman Trophy-Winning Colorado Star Travis Hunter Continues Financial Fortitude Ahead of NFL Draft
A unique player deserves to be in exclusive company, and on Monday, Panini America announced that they’d secured Hunter’s first professional deal through its line of Panini NFL products.
The Colorado All-American will feature on Panini’s Instant Card platform and will also be involved in marketing with the trading card company throughout what will certainly be the first of many endorsements.
“As I enter into the professional phase of my career, I’m excited that one of the first deals is an exclusive autograph trading card agreement with Panini,” Hunter said via a Panini press release.
“As a kid, I collected Panini cards and imagined my face on a card one day. To know that fans will be able to get my Panini Rookie Card all over the world is a dream come true.”
“Travis is a singular talent who has performed incredibly both on and off the field,” Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations at Panini America, added. “He has a bright future ahead, and we look forward to supporting him both as he begins his NFL journey and in the years to come.”
To say Hunter has performed incredibly well on the field is an understatement.
The Colorado standout ended his college football career as a two-time All-American, 2024 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and broke new ground as the first defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy since Charles Woodson after a career spent defying traditional norms as a legitimate two-way player.
Travis Hunter becomes the second two-way player to win the Heisman Trophy 🏆😤@CharlesWoodson | @TravisHunterJr pic.twitter.com/OAXAyTCkdF
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 15, 2024
Across his two-year FBS tenure with the Buffaloes, Hunter tallied 1,979 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns while leading the Big 12 in receptions and receiving scores in 2024.
Meanwhile, he racked up 66 tackles, four tackles for loss, 16 pass deflections, and seven interceptions, as his rare blend of elite athleticism and high football intelligence allowed him to elevate himself above his competition.
As he signs his unique deal with Panini, which marks his debut NFL partnership, Hunter once again sets himself apart from the crowd, shaping his own narrative and journey that stretches back to his arrival on the college football scene.
A former No. 1 high school recruit, he trod a less-traveled path via HBCU outfit Jackson State before following head coach Deion Sanders to Colorado.
Hunter is also no stranger to the corporate partnership landscape. An athlete at the forefront of exclusive NIL deals, he leaves Colorado with an estimated NIL valuation of $5.7 million, with collegiate NIL campaigns with Adidas, NerdWallet, United Airlines, and many more.
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A savvy operator both on and off the field, it isn’t surprising to see Hunter pen his first NFL partnership before he even knows where he will be playing for his debut professional campaign.
It surely won’t be the last, either, for a player who has the potential to be the poster boy for the NFL for years to come.
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