NFL scout eyes Travis Hunter, linking him to this legacy franchise

Travis Hunter is one of college football's biggest stars. The Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and cornerback has been a main part of the team's offense and defense, making the game-winning tackle or touchdown on numerous occasions.

The 2024 season is likely to be the last for Hunter in college football, as he will be eligible for the NFL Draft next year. If he does declare, there will be speculation on both what position he may play in the NFL and which team he may be drafted by.

The answer to the second question was proposed by ESPN writers Jordan Reid and Matt Miller. On Friday, the duo released an article on the possible location for Travis Hunter. In it, they spoke to an NFL scout, who linked Hunter to a legacy franchise.

"I love him in New England. Yes, they have issues to address up front for the young quarterback (Drake Maye), but I'm not taking any of these offensive tackles as high as they will be picking."

The New England Patriots are currently experiencing a struggling offense, which is limiting their ability to win games.

During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye. This sent a signal that they were looking to the future and ready to rebuild. However, Maye is not the current starter, but this does not mean that he will never play.

In a future Patriots side, bringing in Travis Hunter will give Maye a lethal weapon on offense, and this could turn the Patriots into a powerful team again. The strength and skill that Hunter will bring to the team will be unmatched.

Travis Hunter is linked to another team

However, the article also suggests another team that Travis Hunter could find himself on. The team in question is the Carolina Panthers. In their reasoning for Hunter to join the team, an unnamed AFC scout said:

"Outside of (defensive tackle) Derrick Brown, I don't see any star-caliber type of players at any spot on that roster."

This scout predicts that Hunter could play in either an offensive position or a defensive position, as he would be better than whoever the Panthers have now.

However, the position that Hunter chooses to play in may affect whether the Panthers (or any team) want him.

If he decides to play as a wide receiver, teams that may want him will also need a good quarterback to get the ball to him. Would teams want to potentially miss out on one of the top quarterbacks to get Hunter, even if they don't have a QB strong enough to use him effectively?

This problem does not exist if he plays defense, but playing this position could lower his draft stock, and teams may see him as more useful as a wide receiver.