The 2025 NFL Draft has finally arrived, and all eyes are on the top prospects in this class — including two-way star Travis Hunter. Hunter won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado in 2024, and he believes he can play both positions on the field.
It didn’t take long for Hunter to hear his name called. The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to the second overall pick to select the Colorado standout. Before that, he made a kind of draft history the NFL hasn’t seen in the modern era.
Travis Hunter Makes Immediate NFL Draft History
As mentioned, Hunter plays on both sides of the ball — wide receiver and cornerback. While it’s not yet clear where he’ll line up in the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell came prepared either way. The NFL prepared two draft cards for Hunter — one for each position.
WR. DB.
Travis Hunter gets two Draft cards ✍️
📺: 2025 #NFLDraft – 8pm ET on NFL Network/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/q8voptixPX— NFL (@NFL)
Teams may have preferences about how to use him, but Hunter made his stance clear before the draft. “(Roger Goodell) better say wide receiver and DB,” Hunter told CBS Sports in early April.
Travis Hunter on what position he wants to hear Roger Goodell say when he calls his name during the Draft 👀
"He better say Wide Receiver and DB” 😂
🎥 : @CBSSportsCFB pic.twitter.com/7QRp7956qW
— We Coming 🦬 (@SkoBuffsGoBuffs)
Hunter got his wish. He was announced as both a wide receiver and defensive back. But it wasn’t Goodell who made the announcement — it was Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead.
2024 WPMOY Arik Armstead announces the @Jaguars' selection of Travis Hunter 🔥
📺: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/a8VKUP6Jq7— NFL (@NFL)
Hunter has been vocal about his goal to keep playing both ways. He’s confident he can contribute at a high level at wide receiver and cornerback. In fact, he once said he would rather walk away from football than play just one position.
“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter told CBS Sports. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”
He’s not the only one who believes in that vision. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has watched him up close and believes Hunter is built to succeed at the pro level — on both sides of the field. Sanders told CBS Sports the NFL game suits him perfectly.
“The NFL is a slow game. You huddle (every play). How is the contact nowadays? Minimal. That game is more conducive to him being successful than a college game. College is tempo, tempo, tempo. Now, you’re talking about you have to be in shape. Pros, how many seconds between plays? Please, he’s going to go jogging after the darn game because he’s going to have all that energy, man. He is built for this,” the Hall of Famer said.
Hunter has a big challenge ahead. It’s tough enough to master one position in the NFL — doing it at two is almost unheard of. Still, he’s proven he can produce on both sides of the ball. If he stays healthy and continues developing, there’s no reason he couldn’t become the first true modern two-way star in the league.
The 2025 NFL Draft is in full swing. Where Hunter landed could shape how he’s used at the next level. No matter what, if he lives up to his potential, he could quickly become one of the league’s most valuable players.
