Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter were once in contention to be the first overall picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While their draft stocks have slightly gone down since, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders believes the pair are the “most bankable players” in this class, and Sanders is in agreement with his father.
Shedeur Sanders Says He and Travis Hunter Faced The Most Pressure
Shedeur, Hunter, and Deion have been together since their stints at Jackson State, where they helped the Tigers get back to winning ways with a 12-1 season in 2022. The pair followed Deion to Colorado the following season and helped turn around the Buffs from a one-win team to a nine-win powerhouse, all while facing extreme pressure.
It was the reason Deion called the pair the most bankable during an appearance on NFL Network, saying, “He and Travis Hunter, to me, are the most bankable two young men in this draft. … Shedeur, nothing but consistency … and Travis Hunter, ain’t nobody like him.”
Reacting to his father’s comments on his podcast “2Legendary with Shedeur Sanders,” the QB said he agreed with the label.
“We are the most players that faced a lot of pressure from everywhere. Travis being the household name he is and me being the name I am, it’s a lot of pressure and it’s a lot of things you have to live up to. Being able to do what we have been able to do at Jackson State and at Colorado, extremely incredible,” the Colorado quarterback said.
While Sanders was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, he was always under the spotlight due to his father’s name, and it’s safe to say he not only has lived up to it but also carved out a name for himself. Meanwhile, Hunter was a five-star recruit, and with his two-way skills being a rarity, he also attracted significant attention.
Sanders threw for 4,134 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns with 10 interceptions and a career-high 74.0% completion percentage in 2.024. For his efforts, he was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Hunter was equally impressive for the Buffs, catching 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver. On the defensive side, he tallied 35 tackles, 11 passes defensed, four interceptions, and a forced fumble. He won the Heisman Trophy and is now poised to be a top-three pick at the 2025 NFL Draft.
Hunter and Sanders’ Mock Draft Projection
In PFSN’s latest two-round mock draft by Cameron Sheath, Hunter is projected to be picked third overall by the New York Giants, while Sanders is going ninth overall to the New Orleans Saints.
“Sanders was an option here, too, but Giants general manager Joe Schoen’s career is reliant on the team being competitive in 2025. Hunter is the second blue-chip prospect off the board and, like Carter in Cleveland, would give the Giants one of the league’s best partnerships,” Sheath said.
“In this case, though, Hunter would be paired up with 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers to give New York one of the best receiving duos in football. The acceleration of both players would give the offense an advantage on every passing down. Hunter also possesses incredible body control and contested-catch ability and is arguably an elite receiver prospect without his dual-threat ability.”
“That versatility is more than just a bonus, though. Hunter would immediately be one of the best young corners in the NFL, with the team having to decide where his primary focus should be. The historical significance of a draft selection is never clear at the time, but Hunter has the potential to be a generation-defining prospect in the NFL.”
On Sanders and Saints, Sheath continued with how he thought the two would fit. “I originally penciled in this pick with the idea that Sanders could sit for a year. But with Derek Carr now trending towards missing the 2025 season with a shoulder injury, Sanders could find himself thrust into a starting role,” Sheath said.
“I do not doubt that Sanders has the mental strength to deal with an immediate starting job, but it would be ideal for him to iron out a few creases before being folded in half by NFL pass rushers.
“The Saints have continued to push their financial problems into the future (why pay if you don’t have to, right?) and reportedly restructured Carr’s deal again during the offseason. With a now-desperate need at quarterback, Sanders would allow the Saints to compete in 2025, while his rookie contract would allow them to balance the books in the long term.”
