NFL draft insider raves about Travis Hunter’s "adamant" stance on playing both sides in NFL

Travis Hunter isn’t just challenging the NFL’s norms; he’s demanding a whole new playbook. The Colorado Buffaloes star is dead set on playing both wide receiver and cornerback at the next level, and NFL draft insider Matt Miller is in awe.

On Wednesday, on the “Up and Adams” show, Miller called Hunter’s approach unprecedented, saying he’s never seen a player so determined about pulling double duty.

“Travis Hunter is at the top of this draft," Miller said. "I've been doing this for 15 years. I've never seen someone try to do what he's doing: playing wide receiver and corner full time. ... Hunter is very adamant that he's going to play both. He's going to play offense. He's going to play defense.

“And it does make him really, really unique, because he won the Heisman Trophy as a two-way player. He also won an award as the best wide receiver in football while at the same time winning an award as the best defensive player in college football last year. So, what he's doing at that level is unprecedented.”

The numbers and accolades back up Hunter's confidence.

Hunter didn’t just win the Heisman as a two-way player; he also took home the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver). No one in college football history had ever done that.

Hunter’s 2024 season was phenomenal. He racked up nearly 1,400 snaps (382 more than any other player) while making game-changing plays on both sides of the ball. He had seven catches for 132 yards and three TDs in Colorado’s season opener.

The NFL has seen two-way players before, but none like this. Travis Hunter is daring teams to let him prove it. And if history is any indicator, betting against him might not be wise.

Giants weighing two-way star Travis Hunter with No. 3 pick

Travis Hunter’s draft stock keeps soaring, and the New York Giants are paying close attention. With the third pick in the 2025 NFL draft, New York coach Brian Daboll and his staff are doing their homework on the two-way phenom.

Daboll couldn’t hide his admiration, calling Hunter “a heck of a player” and marveling at his ability to impact both sides of the ball. He acknowledged the challenge of evaluating such a rare talent, given the sheer volume of film on Hunter’s offensive and defensive exploits. But on Tuesday, when asked where Hunter would fit, Daboll kept it simple:

“I think he is a good player, both sides of the ball, both ways. It takes a long time to evaluate because there’s a lot of tape. It is really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level. He’s been a fun player to evaluate, and to me, he’s a heck of a player. … We don’t have him yet, but we will evaluate him at both spots.”

With an offensive-minded coach like Daboll at the helm and the Giants in need of a game-changer, Travis Hunter could be a perfect fit in New York.