Talent evaluators undermining Travis Hunter’s ability to be a full-time two-way player in NFL: Report

Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter was an amazing two-way player on the gridiron at the collegiate level. However, few believe he'll be able to replicate that in the NFL.

Hunter was a full-time starter at wide receiver and cornerback during his playing days in Colorado for head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. His ability to excel on both sides of the ball was a key reason why Hunter was the eventual 2024 Heisman Trophy winner. Now, on the cusp of the 2025 NFL draft, Hunter has officially entered the 2025 NFL scouting combine as a cornerback.

However, that doesn't mean his days of playing receiver are over. There has been speculation that regardless of which NFL franchise drafts Hunter this April, he will continue to play on both sides of the ball when he hits the field. However, a Monday report from Yahoo! Sports indicates that some don't believe that to be possible.

The report indicates that evaluators don't believe Hunter would be a full-time two-way player in the NFL due to the heavy game-planning and film study demands at the professional level. That goes especially for the position of wide receiver. One AFC scout suggested that, if Travis Hunter only plays one position, he'd like it to be at receiver.

But if he does get to play on both sides of the ball, he should be a starting cornerback, and work his way onto the field on offense as a receiver in certain packages.

“If he plays one, I want him to play receiver,” the AFC scout said. “If he plays both, he has to play corner [because] you can't play receiver and have a package on defense but you can play defense and have a package on offense.

"So if you intend to utilize him to the fullest extent, he's either going to be your No. 1 receiver or he's going to be your corner that has packages. But now I think the argument too can be made that he's not a No. 1 receiver — he’s a No. 2 receiver.”

Where will Travis Hunter land in the 2025 NFL draft?

NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn

There are plenty of possible landing spots for Travis Hunter come April. Hunter is not expected to remain on the draft board very long once the festivities kick off in Green Bay. Some have predicted that Hunter could be selected as first overall by the Tennessee Titans, who need as much help as they can get on both sides of the ball at the moment and Hunter provides them with exactly that.

Others had initially suggested that the Cleveland Browns could take Hunter at the No. 2 overall spot, but recent reports indicate that the Browns will be targeting a quarterback instead, looking to move on from Deshaun Watson. The New York Giants, New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars are all also in play for Hunter's services. Regardless of who ends up drafting Travis Hunter, they'll be landing a generational talent who should make an impact right away.