Cam Newton shares why $5.7M NIL-valued Travis Hunter snubbed Nike for Adidas despite his close ties with Coach Prime

Travis Hunter is near to finding out which NFL team will draft him. In the meantime, Hunter has signed a deal with sports apparel company Adidas.

On the "4th and 1" podcast, host and former NFL quarterback Cam Newton gave his take, and his own personal experience on why he thinks that Hunter, whose NIL deals are worth $5.7 million (according to On3), made the deal.

"The reason why I signed with Under Armour instead of Adidas, instead of Jordan, is because I wanted to be 'The Guy,' instead of 'a guy,'" Newton said. (Timestamp: 1:29:00).

Hunter. By signing with Adidas, he is joining the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons, two players at the top of their game. By joining them, the Heisman Trophy winner will be associated with them.

This will make him somewhat unique in the majority of NFL teams. These are mostly Nike athletes, with the Oregon-based company being the official supplier to the NFL.

With Hunter wearing Adidas gear, he will stand out, making him, as Newton put it, "The Guy," instead of just a regular player.

However, the deal has Hunter going against a decision and choice made by his former coach, Deion Sanders.

While with the Colorado Buffaloes, Hunter worked extensively with Sanders, and the Hall of Famer became one of the player's biggest supporters, with the two sharing a close bond.

But Sanders is a known Nike athlete, and Deion shares a strong relationship with the company. The pair have released numerous sneakers together that continue to be popular.

While Hunter's decision may not have gone down well with Coach Prime, he will massively benefit from it.

Travis Hunter 2025 NFL draft prospects

Travis Hunter is likely to be a top pick in the NFL draft.

In a recent mock draft, NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah projected that Hunter is going to be the fourth pick, going to the New England Patriots.

This pick makes sense. The Pats do not need a quarterback (they have Drake Maye) but will need to provide him with the right offensive weapons. Hunter is exactly what they are looking for, and while it may not be a top three pick as many might expect for Hunter, a move to New England would mean he is on the right team for him.