Wide receiver or cornerback? The debate has been hot since it became evident that Travis Hunter was NFL-bound. But with his success at the collegiate level, it’s become even harder to lock him into just one position. Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, has been exceptional on both sides of the football field.
Heading into the draft, Hunter has said he wants to keep playing both sides in the pros. The debate isn’t slowing down either, with more voices chiming in. One of the latest is Charles Woodson, one of the most decorated defenders of all time, who shared his thoughts after Colorado’s pro day.
Analyst Breaks Down Travis Hunter’s NFL Fit: ‘You Don’t Want Him on the Sideline’
Appearing on “The Rush With Maxx Crosby,” Woodson and Maxx Crosby broke down Hunter’s game and how it might translate to the NFL. One of college football’s all-time greats, Woodson’s award case is the stuff of legends.
A national champion and winner of the Heisman Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Walter Camp Award, and Chuck Bednarik Award, Woodson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. On the podcast, he shared what stood out most about Colorado’s star.
“First, just a phenomenal athlete. To go out there and run 115–120+ plays every game, I mean that’s pretty impressive. I tell people, it’s not just the amount of plays that he played. He really made impact plays on both sides of the ball.”
But when it comes to the NFL, even Woodson didn’t have a simple answer. “As I see him in the NFL, he’s just such a dynamic athlete, I don’t believe that he’s the type of player that you want to just have on the sideline for 50–60 snaps of a game.”
Instead, the nine-time Pro Bowler would approach it on a case-by-case basis. “I would play him as a defensive back, but offensively I’m going to have a package here or there depending on our matchups that week.” He gave two examples to explain.
Woodson said he’d keep Hunter on defense against a team like the Cincinnati Bengals, which has two elite receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But against a team with fewer offensive weapons, he’d look to mix Hunter in on offense, too.
The latest mock draft from PFSN has the New York Giants taking Hunter with the No. 3 pick and playing him at wide receiver. That’s not something the Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champ is against.
“If someone was saying, ‘Hey, he’s coming in but we only want him to play one side of the ball’ — I think he’s more natural at playing receiver in attacking the football as a receiver. So, if he was going to be just one side of the ball, I would play him at receiver.”
His head coach and another NFL legend, Deion Sanders, has made the case that playing both sides would be easier for Hunter in the NFL than in college. But as a middle ground, Woodson’s idea might just make the most sense.