NFL legend Charles Woodson makes stance clear on Travis Hunter playing both ways in the NFL amid ongoing debate

Travis Hunter is ticketed for the professional ranks in this month's 2025 NFL draft after an impressive season in Boulder. Only two primarily defensive players have won the Heisman Trophy, with former Michigan standout Charles Woodson being the other.

Woodson shared his thoughts on Hunter’s talent as both a cornerback and receiver Tuesday on Maxx Crosby's podcast, "The Rush with Maxx Crosby." He doesn’t think the team that drafts Hunter will waste that ability.

"Just a phenomenal athlete," Woodson said. "You know, to go out there and run 115, 120-plus plays every game... that's pretty impressive. It's not just amount of plays that he played; he really made impact plays on both sides of the ball. He's just such a dynamic athlete."

"For me, I don't believe that he's the type of player that you wanna just have on the sideline for 50, 60 snaps of a game. I would play him as a defensive back, but, offensively, I'm gonna have a package here or there, depending on our matchups that week, whatever game we're playing."

Woodson believes Travis Hunter is more fluid at one position than the other.

"I think he's more natural at playing receiver and attacking the football as a receiver," Woodson said. "But I know he don't want that, and I'm thinking teams will look at his athleticism and play-making ability and they'll wanna utilize him some."

"The way he goes and get it, you can't really coach at that level. He understands the most important thing out there is that ball, and I'm gonna get to it."

Why shouldn't Travis Hunter play both sides in the NFL?

Wave Sports + Entertainment's Bomani Jones doesn't feel it would be prudent for Travis Hunter to pick up such a heavy workload. He discussed the situation last month on his podcast, "The Right Time with Bomani Jones."

“I think playing two positions is preposterous unless they’re gonna give him two paychecks,” Jones said. “I don’t know why people are so intrigued by this idea. … I’m hearing people say he’s definitely wide receiver (No.) 1 and cornerback (No.) 1 in this draft. Okay."

"To my crudely informed opinion, I feel like he is rarer as a corner than he is as a receiver, and he’s not that big."

Jones added that sprinkling Hunter in packages could be useful. It’s not as if Hunter was just an offensive role player. At Colorado last season, he led the Big 12 with 96 receptions, racking up an impressive 1,258 receiving yards and a conference-best 15 touchdown grabs.