The University of Colorado has taken over headlines across America due to their stunning 45-42 week one win against the 17th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth. Much has been said about the emergence of the Buffaloes’ head coach in NFL legend Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and his two sons Shedeur and Shilo, but another player was the real star of the show. There are not many players in today’s game that start on both offense and defense in college football, but Colorado has a player that goes against that trend.
His name is Travis Hunter, a five-star recruit and the number one ranked high school prospect in the class of 2022. Hunter plays both wide receiver and cornerback, two of the most difficult and physically demanding positions in the sport of football. However, Hunter is one of the most gifted and athletically talented players in the country. He put his skills on full display against TCU with 11 catches for 109 yards on offense and an interception on defense. It is safe to say that Travis Hunter has made himself known to the college football world.
Football fans all across the country were impressed with the raw talent that Hunter showcased. Some were even claiming that he could make a run for the Heisman. It has been a few years since we’ve seen a player play both sides of the ball and make a game-changing impact at the collegiate level. Many people have compared what Hunter is doing to the performance of Shohei Ohtani, one of the best baseball players in the world. Ohtani is a starting pitcher and designated hitter for the Los Angeles Angels, a rarity in the modern era of baseball. At the age of 29, Ohtani has already been named an all-star three times, a silver slugger once, and won the American League MVP in 2021. Ohtani is considered by many to be the best baseball player in the world. The ability to play in two different positions at such a high level is remarkable, especially as a starting pitcher. Some are now claiming that if Travis Hunter continues his week one success for the rest of the season, he too can become the best in his sport. The real question is: Are these comparisons fair?
Only time will tell. Many fans across the country may not know this, but Travis Hunter has been playing both ways since high school. He was the number one ranked receiver and cornerback coming out of Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia. Travis played at FCS level Jackson State, where Deion Sanders was his coach. Sanders encouraged the freshman to play on both sides, and the Tigers went 12-1 overall and won the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Once Sanders got the job at Colorado, he brought Hunter with him, as he knew firsthand the talent the athlete could bring to the FBS level.
If Hunter can keep up his performances against high-level competition, especially against a stacked PAC-12 conference, we could be seeing him lift the Heisman Trophy near the end of the season. Not only has Colorado grabbed everyone’s attention, but Travis Hunter has as well. Hunter has the potential to be a generational talent and one of the most impactful players the sport has ever seen. If week one is anything to go by, we could see the birth of a national superstar in the sport of college football before our very eyes.
