Ex-NFL MVP Cam Newton drops wisdom for Travis Hunter ahead of 2025 draft

Former Colorado Buffaloes superstar and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter is one of the top players available in the 2025 NFL draft. The dual-threat prospect is expected to make an immediate impact in the league and become a cornerstone for the team fortunate enough to land him.

While he's undoubtedly excited about getting drafted and helping a team turn its fortunes, former NFL MVP Cam Newton gave him a grim reality check about life in the league. On an Overtime podcast clip posted on Friday, the former Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots quarterback sent a message to Hunter by detailing his experience as a wide-eyed rookie hoping to flip a franchise's fortunes and why he might be unable to make the impact he envisions himself having. He said:

"When I was the first pick, I went into a locker room of losers. You're the top pick because that was the worst team in the NFL the year before. For me, I wanted to be the number one pick, you could potentially be the first pick, but, bro, you have no way of impacting the game like a quarterback does. You can lock down the number one receiver. You can make impact plays on offense all you want, but it's still not like a quarterback."

Newton took a shot at his former teammates and warned the former Buffaloes superstar to know that most players on an underperforming roster aren't too keen on lifting their game and helping the team win:

"My issue is when I was the first pick, I went into a locker room of losers. Guys didn't know how to win. Guys didn't know how to prepare. It was a culture shock for me. The games don't mean a lot to a lot of people in the league like you would expect. It's just money. Not everybody has capabilities to be impact players. They're just players."

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Travis Hunter draft projection: Who will pick the dual-threat star?

Travis Hunter is expected to be the first non-quarterback taken off the draft board. However, it's unclear who'll pick the Heisman Trophy winner. The Tennessee Titans hold the first pick in the draft and haven't indicated who they'll select.

The only hint about what they intend to do with the pick came from the team's president of football operations Chad Brinker during a press conference in January. When asked about the Titans' plans, he said:

“We won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick in the NFL Draft.”

Neither of the top two quarterback prospects — former Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders and ex-Miami Hurricanes signal-caller Cam Ward — have been touted as "generational talents" by experts. The only player, bar Hunter, who fits that bill is Penn State alumnus Abdul Carter.

The Titans are seemingly gearing up to pick either the Heisman Trophy winner or the star defensive end. It remains to be seen whether they add one of the two to their roster, or pull off a surprise on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24.