CFB insider labels $2.7 million NIL-valued Colorado star Travis Hunter as "the Shohei Ohtani of college football"

Colorado's two-way star Travis Hunter ensured that the Buffaloes survived an a scare in their season-opening clash against FCS team, the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field. The game ended 31-26 with the Buffs trailing for much of the contest.

The $2.7 million NIL-valued Hunter (as per On3) was in sizzling form as he hauled in 7 receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns showcasing his intuitive connection with maverick quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

His performance caught the eye of many fans and analyst Bart Scott waxed lyrical about Hunter's abilities, comparing him to MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani during an episode of ESPN's "First Take."

"I've never seen anything like Travis Hunter," Bart said. "To me, he is the Shohei Ohtani of college football. We have never seen anything like this. This dude is like a marathon runner. He plays the whole game. We haven't seen anything like this. The Heisman is his award to lose. He's that special. For me, he is the No.1 pick."

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith agreed with Bart about Hunter's mind-blowing ability on both sides of the ball.

"Bart is absolutely right," Smith said. "Hunter seems to win every one-on-one matchup you can find."

Travis Hunter gets Heisman shouts from popular analyst

Travis Hunter has a rare profile in college football and while the coveted Heisman Trophy has become the preserve of quarterbacks, his incredible contribution on both sides of the ball makes him a contender for this year's award.

On an episode of the "Joel Klatt Show," popular analyst Joel Klatt also likened the Buffaloes star to Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and tabbed him as the favorite for the Heisman.

“At plus 6000 or 60 to one, you can get Travis Hunter at Colorado,” Klatt said. “Sign me up for the best non quarterback in the sport at plus 6000. We've also got a little bit of this like Ohtani factor, even more so than Charles Woodson or any of these other players. Like he's legitimately a two way player,” Klatt said.

“So now you've got the Ohtani factor, where it's like, he could be considered one of the best corners in the game and one of the best wide receivers in the game. And he's not only the best corner in college football, but you could argue that he's the best wide receiver in college football. And guess what? He's right there and you got him at plus 6000, that is a great value bet right there.”

For Travis Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy, he will have to battle a stacked field that includes quarterbacks at elite programs in contention to win conference championships and the national championship.