In this series, we will evaluate college football players and how they performed in 2024. We will take a look at Heisman winner Travis Hunter, Colorado’s versatile two-way star athlete.

Hunter is one of the most prolific athletes to come out of the college football scene in the last two decades. His ability to play both offense and defense at the highest level has made him a top pick in this year’s NFL Draft. The Tennessee Titans have the first overall selection and they would be hard pressed not to select Hunter with the first overall pick; that is just how dominant he has been over the last two seasons at Colorado.

If you are not familiar with Hunter and what he has accomplished, take a moment to YouTube his highlight reels for the 2024 season. He is the type of athlete who puts up solid statistical numbers on offense, making incredible catches while also dominating on defense. He is a true competitor on and off the football field.

In 2024, Hunter caught 96 receptions for 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, making this his best statistical performance since entering the college scene. On defense, Hunter registered 25 solo tackles, 11 assisted tackles, four defensive interceptions with a long of 38-yards, a forced fumble, and eleven pass breakups.

The most impressive play from last season was against the University of Baylor where Hunter forced a fumble to win the game in overtime. Without his knack for the football and his hard hitting technique, Baylor would have won the football game, which potentially could have prevented the Buffaloes from reaching their first Bowl Game since 2020.

One thing that makes Hunter stand out against the rest of his peers is his strong endurance that made him stay on the field for an impressive 688 defensive snaps. To put this in perspective, he is on the field on defense almost every single down, rarely missing a snap. This does not include his offensive snaps where he stood out and has a case to be a better offensive weapon than defense.

An interesting and important question surrounding Hunter’s game is when an NFL franchise selects him in the draft, will he strictly be a defensive player, or will he play offense, too? While it is rare, NFL teams have played players on both offense and defense. Several names include Adoree’ Jackson, J.J. Watt, Devin Hester, Mike Vrabel, Patrick Peterson, Dontari Poe, Rob Gronkowski and others.

Hunter’s college football dominance was on full display this past season and he will certainly make a future NFL franchise happy with his play. It is up to the organization and coaching staff to utilize him effectively, and that is the biggest concern for him as he heads into the league.