With the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft rapidly approaching on April 24, one of the biggest questions heading into the day is which team will draft Travis Hunter? The 2024 Heisman Winner has been described as a generational talent, with the ability to play both receiver and cornerback at a high level.
On some teams, he’d be their top receiver and best cornerback. At worst, he’s a WR2/CB2 on any team he joins.
Yet, with the Tennessee Titans expected to select Cam Ward with the first overall pick, many are assuming the Cleveland Browns are locked into Hunter with the second pick. Yet, there could be a situation that causes Hunter to ditch football before he even takes his first NFL snap.
If Travis Hunter can’t play both sides, he won’t play at all
Travis Hunter is one of a kind. The NFL hasn’t seen a player capable of consistently playing at a high level on both sides of the ball since Deion Sanders. Even then, Sanders primarily played cornerback and only performed in spot duties as a receiver.
Hunter is different. He’s expected to enter the NFL with the ability to play both sides of the ball equally. Yet, some teams may not view him that way, valuing his contributions on one side of the ball more than the other.
However, what would it mean if the team that drafts him told Hunter he couldn’t play offense and defense? Unbelievably, he told CBS Sports it would mean he’d “never play football again.”
It’s hard to imagine any team that drafts Hunter restricting him entirely to one side of the ball without the opportunity to at least see a package of plays on the other side. Yet, until we learn which team Hunter lands with, it’s hard to know what type of role he’s expected to have.