"His first day at Jackson State" - Deion Sanders reveals the moment he realized Travis Hunter was special

When Colorado star Travis Hunter won the 90th Heisman Trophy on December 14, among his retinue at the ceremony, Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his son, Shedeur Sanders were also present. Coach Prime has been credited with allowing Hunter to play on both sides of the ball leading to his status as one of college football's best players since he recruited him for the Jackson State Tigers.

During his weekly news conference, the charismatic Colorado coach revealed when he knew that Hunter could win the Heisman Trophy.

"When he went out there at receiver and did his thing, then went from receiver to defensive back and shut it down. I knew right then it was something special," Sanders said. "It's one thing to watch highlights of a young man in high school, it's another to see it in person.

"And when you know the game, you know athleticism, you know what I know, you come where I come from—you know when you see something that is abnormal. This kid, from day one, has been abnormal with an appetite to dominate."

During his Heisman acceptance speech, Hunter thanked the Buffs coach for his impact on his life.

"Coach Prime, Shedeur, y'all changed my life forever," Travis Hunter said. "Coach Prime told me this journey would be bigger than anything before. He believed in me, not just as a player but as a person."

Under the guidance of Coach Prime, Travis Hunter has not only won the Heisman Trophy but also won the Walter Camp Award (college player of the year), Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and the Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver).

Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter have a close relationship

Travis Hunter made the unusual choice of flipping his commitment from the FBS side, the Florida State Seminoles to the FCS side, the Jackson State Tigers. He revealed that the familial atmosphere nurtured by Coach Prime convinced him to make the move.

During a news conference during the season, Deion Sanders revealed why he shares a close relationship with the Heisman-winning star.

"We talk about everything,” Sanders said. "He’s (Hunter) a good human being, he’s not smoking, not drinking, not outside whoring, not doing crazy things. He’s got one of the highest GPAs on the team, he’s a great human being, and he can play, his character is second to none.

"That’s why I don’t mind fishing with him (Hunter)," Sanders said. "And he coming to Texas. And we’re not talking about fishing on the boat, although we talk junk to each other all the time, but we’re talking about life. We’re talking about the next move. We talk about land acquisition. We’re talking about so many different things of life, fathering, you know, loving, how the family plays a role in all of this."

Further highlighting the pair's special relationship, Travis Hunter opted to stay and play in the Buffs' Alamo Bowl clash against the BYU Cougars bucking the trend, where NFL-bound prospects usually opt out of their team's bowl games to protect their draft stocks.