Colorado Buffaloes stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders have combined to devastating effect this season leading the Buffs to bowl eligibility for the first time in eight years and an impressive 8-3 record that has given them a slim chance of competing in the Big 12 Championship Game.
The duo has already stated their intentions to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft after finishing the college football season with the Buffs.
Deion Jr. Nostalgic About Departing Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders
On Nov. 27, Coach Prime’s eldest son, Deion Sanders Jr., who has been with Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders every step of the way since their days at Jackson State, tweeted his shock at how quickly time has passed. In a nostalgic tweet on X, Deion Jr. harkened back to the Buffs’ road trip to Orlando to face the UCF Knights in Week 7 of college football action.
“Feels like we were just in Orlando,” Deion Jr. tweeted.
Feels like we were just in Orlando
— Deion Sanders Jr (@DeionSandersJr) November 27, 2024
Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders NFL-Bound
Shedeur Sanders and Hunter have been projected as top picks by ESPN Draft experts Matt Miller and Mel Kiper Jr. during their weekly “Big Draft” board updates. During last week’s episode of Gojo and Golic, Miller highlighted the duo’s desirability in the draft and the influence that Coach Prime will exert in their ultimate NFL destinations.
“They’re spectacular players [Hunter and Sanders], and they deserve to be at the top. This is not about the hype of Coach Prime or any of that, these are really, really good football players. … But Coach Prime is going to be very influential in where ‘his guys’ land. … From a football perspective, [Shedeur Sanders] is what the [New York Giants] need,” Miller said.
"Back-to-back Colorado superstars going 1 and 2 overall in your mock. Walk me through how you see Shedeur Sanders going as your top QB followed by 2-way star and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter." @mikegolicjr
"They're specular players who deserve to be at the top. This is not… pic.twitter.com/Ugy2lLLzBF
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) November 22, 2024
For his part, during an interview with USA Today, Hunter revealed that he was definitely declaring for the draft and his determination to play on both sides of the ball in the NFL.
“That’s definitely for sure. It’s never been done,” Hunter said of playing two positions full-time in the modern NFL.
Hunter: “I understand that it will be a high risk, [teams] don’t want their top pick to go down too early and I know they’re going to want me to be in a couple packages. But I believe I can do it. Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far. I like when people tell me I can’t do it.”
Coach Prime also revealed during his weekly news conference that despite Hunter and Sanders’ impending departure for the NFL, the duo would play in the Buffaloes’ bowl game at the end of the season. Most players headed for the NFL via the draft usually opt out of their team’s bowl games to protect their draft stock, but the Buffs’ duo look likely to buck that trend.