Travis Hunter

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the American novelist, see Travis Hunter (writer).

Travis Hunter
refer to caption
Hunter with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024
No. 12 – Jacksonville Jaguars
Position:
Personal information
Born: (2003-05-18) May 18, 2003 (age 22)
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school:Collins Hill (Suwanee, Georgia)
College:
NFL draft:2025: 1st round, 2nd pick
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Travis Hunter Jr. (born May 18, 2003) is an American professional football cornerback and wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes, winning the Heisman Trophy with the latter in 2024. Known for his two-way playing ability, Hunter is the only player in college football history to win both the Chuck Bednarik and Fred Biletnikoff Awards. He was selected by the Jaguars second overall in the 2025 NFL draft.

Early life

Hunter was born on May 18, 2003, in

Gwinnett County with seven interceptions, also recording 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns on offense.[2] As a junior, Hunter had eight interceptions and 51 tackles, in addition to catching 137 passes for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns. He earned the MaxPreps Georgia Player of the Year award.[3] He also set Gwinnett County single-season records in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns,[2] leading the Eagles to a 12–3 record and an appearance in the Class 7A state championship game.[3]

As a senior, Hunter recorded 76 receptions for 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense, and 23 tackles, four interceptions and a forced fumble on defense,

Polynesian Bowl, where he won the offensive MVP honors after recording five receptions for 54 yards.[8]

College career

College recruiting information
Name Hometown School Height Weight Commit date
Travis Hunter
CB 		Suwanee, Georgia Collins Hill 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Dec 15, 2021 
247Sports: 5/5 stars   ESPN: 5/5 stars
   

Hunter was considered the number one overall ranked recruit by

FCS school,[13] with the move being cited among the most surprising signings in college football recruiting history.[4][14]

Jackson State (2022)

See also: 2022 Jackson State Tigers football team
Hunter with the Jackson State Tigers in 2022

Hunter recorded two receiving touchdowns and two interceptions in the Jackson State

spring game, which was the first HBCU spring game to ever be nationally televised.[15] Hunter made his collegiate debut in week 1 against Florida A&M, but did not record any statistics. In the win, Hunter sustained an undisclosed injury that kept him out five games.[16] Hunter returned in week 7 victory against Campbell where he had four receptions for 24 yards. In week 10, Hunter recorded his first collegiate touchdown as well as his first interception against Alabama A&M.[17] In week 11, Hunter had two receptions for a season high 49 yards and one touchdown against Alcorn State. He also recorded an interception for the second consecutive week. In the 2022 Celebration Bowl, Hunter had four receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns.[18] As a freshman, Hunter accumulated 19 total tackles, eight pass breakups, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one defensive touchdown in seven games played. On offense, he added 18 receptions for 188 yards and four touchdowns.[19]

Colorado (2023–2024)

See also: 2023 Colorado Buffaloes football team and 2024 Colorado Buffaloes football team

Hunter transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023, following Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders.[20] In his FBS debut, Hunter played 147 total snaps across offense and defense in a 45–42 upset win over the TCU Horned Frogs.[21][22] In the win, Hunter had 11 receptions for 119 yards and three tackles with an interception on defense.[23] In week 3, Hunter sustained an injury during Colorado's overtime victory over rival Colorado State, which sidelined him for the next three games.[24] Hunter returned from injury week 7 against Stanford where he hauled in a season high 13 catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns.[25] In week 8, Hunter caught two interceptions against number 23 ranked UCLA.[26] In week 9, Hunter had eight catches for 98 yards and a score against number 16 ranked Oregon State.[27] In week 11, Hunter had four receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown against Washington State. In the season finale, Hunter caught eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown against Utah.[28] On the season, Hunter hauled in 57 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns. On defense, he recorded three interceptions and 30 tackles.[29] He totaled 1,036 snaps including 437 on offense, 568 on defense and 31 on special teams, averaging 115.1 per game.[30] He was named a 2023 Consensus All-American and second-team All-PAC-12.[31][32] Hunter was also named recipient of the Paul Hornung Award.[33]

To open the 2024 season, Hunter had seven receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns in the win over North Dakota State.[34] In the September 7 game, Colorado was beaten 28–10 by Nebraska. Hunter significantly impacted the offense with 10 catches for 110 yards, but he faced criticism for his lack of effort on the Cornhuskers' first score of the game.[35] In the September 21 game against Baylor, Hunter made the game-winning forced fumble at the goal line in a 38–31 overtime thriller.[36] After finishing the regular season playing nearly 1,400 scrimmage snaps on offense and defense, 382 more than any other player in the country, Hunter won the Heisman Trophy. He was the Colorado Buffaloes second-ever Heisman winner, the first being Rashaan Salaam in 1994.[37] He was also only the second-ever defensive player to win the award, following Charles Woodson in 1997.[38] In addition, Hunter was the first player in college football history to win both the Chuck Bednarik Award, as the nation's top defensive player, and the Fred Biletnikoff Award, as the nation's best wide receiver.[39]

Statistics

College statistics
Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Solo Ast Cmb TfL Sck Int Yds Avg TD PD FR FF TD
2022 Jackson State 8 8 18 188 10.4 4 1 −10 −10.0 0 15 4 19 0.0 0.0 2 44 22.0 1 8 1 0 0
2023 Colorado 9 9 57 721 12.6 5 0 0 0.0 0 22 8 30 2.0 0.0 3 −10 −3.3 0 5 0 0 0
2024 Colorado 13 13 96 1,258 13.1 15 2 5 2.5 1 25 11 36 1.0 0.0 4 65 16.3 0 11 0 1 0
Career 30 30 171 2,167 12.4 24 3 -5 -1.6 1 58 23 80 3.0 0.0 9 93 11.6 1 22 1 1 0

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span
6 ft 0+3⁄8 in
(1.84 m) 		188 lb
(85 kg) 		31+3⁄8 in
(0.80 m) 		9+1⁄8 in
(0.23 m)
All values from
NFL Combine[40][41]

Hunter was selected second overall in the 2025 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars in a trade involving the Cleveland Browns.[42]

Awards and highlights

College

Awards and honors

Personal life

Hunter's father, Travis Hunter Sr., starred on the football and track teams at

high school sweetheart, Leanna Lenee, in May 2025.[58] Hunter has a Twitch channel and shares a YouTube channel with Leanna.[59][60]

Notes

  1. ^ Selected on offense, defense and all-purpose in 2024
  2. ^ Selected on offense and defense
  3. ^ Selected as a defensive back
  4. ^ Selected as all-purpose / special teams
  5. ^ Selected on offense, defense, and all-purpose
  6. ^ Selected on offense and defense
  7. ^ Selected on defense
  8. ^ Selected as all-purpose / special teams

References

  1. ^ a b Brugler, Dane. "The Beast: 2025 NFL Draft Guide". The Athletic. The New York Times. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Hammock, Will (August 17, 2021). "SUPER SIX FOOTBALL: Collins Hill's Travis Hunter makes case as Gwinnett's best ever". Phelps County Focus. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Travis Hunter named 2020 MaxPreps Georgia High School Football Player of the Year". MaxPreps. January 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Dustin (December 15, 2021). "BREAKING: No. 1 prospect Travis Hunter makes his college decision". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  5. ^ Lewis, Dustin (November 22, 2021). "No. 1 prospect Travis Hunter set to play in Georgia 7A state championship game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  6. ^ Friedlander, David (December 11, 2021). "Collins Hill caps perfect football season with first state championship". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Friedlander, David (December 18, 2021). "Collins Hill loses heartbreaker to Washington State champion in GEICO Bowl Series". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  8. ^ Carr, Tolly (January 23, 2022). "Travis Hunter named MVP at Polynesian Bowl". HBCU Gameday. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  9. 247Sports.com
    . Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  10. ^ "Travis Hunter". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  11. ^ "Travis Hunter". ESPN. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  12. ^ Weiler, Curt (March 3, 2020). "2022 defensive back Travis Hunter Jr. commits to Florida State". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Collins Hill's Travis Hunter signs with Jackson State". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Cobb, David (December 15, 2021). "Travis Hunter to Jackson State: In all-time stunner, Deion Sanders steals No. 1 prospect from Florida State". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  15. ^ Thompson, Khari (April 24, 2022). "Three observations from Jackson State football's spring game, Travis Hunter's debut". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  16. ^ Keith, J.T. (September 27, 2022). "Travis Hunter injury update: Jackson State football DB close to return". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Keith, J. T. (November 12, 2022). "Jackson State football's Travis Hunter intercepts first pass on heels of first touchdown". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  18. ^ Howell, Brian (August 31, 2024). "Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter have special connection in leading CU Buffs offense". Longmont Times-Call. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  19. ^ "2022 Season Stats (PDF)" (PDF). Jackson State University. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  20. ^ Sallee, Barrett (December 21, 2022). "Travis Hunter transfers to Colorado: Former No. 1 recruit follows Deion Sanders from Jackson State". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  21. ^ Howell, Brian (September 3, 2023). "Football notes: CU Buffs' Travis Hunter shines on both sides of ball". BuffZone. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  22. ^ "Prime shocker: Colorado upsets No. 17 TCU 45–42 in Deion Sanders' debut as Buffs coach". CBSSports.com. Associated Press. September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  23. ^ Singh, Sanjesh (September 2, 2023). "Who is Travis Hunter? Meet Colorado's breakout WR, DB hybrid". NBC Boston. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  24. ^ Parks, James (October 10, 2023). "Travis Hunter injury update: Colorado football star's status for Stanford game". SI.com. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  25. ^ "Down 29, Stanford stuns Colorado in 2OT thriller". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 14, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  26. ^ Curtright, Austin (October 29, 2023). "Colorado football's Travis Hunter records two first-half INTs vs. UCLA". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  27. ^ "Oregon State at Colorado Box Score, November 4, 2023". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  28. ^ "Colorado at Utah Box Score, November 25, 2023". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  29. ^ "Travis Hunter 2023 Game Log". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  30. ^ Walker, Emanuel (August 2, 2024). "Deion Sanders says Travis Hunter is 'untouchable' to start fall camp". SI.com. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  31. ^ "Consensus All-America Teams (2020–2023)". Sports Reference. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  32. ^ Howell, Brian (December 5, 2023). "Travis Hunter leads group of CU Buffs to receive All-Pac-12 recognition". BuffZone. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  33. ^ a b "Travis Hunter Wins Paul Hornung Award As Nation's Most Versatile Player". University of Colorado Buffaloes Athletics. December 6, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  34. ^ "Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter help Colorado hold off NDSU 31–26 to start Year 2 under Deion Sanders". CBS Colorado. Associated Press. August 29, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  35. ^ DelVecchio, Steve (September 8, 2024). "Travis Hunter mocked over his 'business decision' against Nebraska". Larry Brown Sports. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
  36. ^ Lytle, Kevin (September 22, 2024). "Travis Hunter and CU survive against Baylor as fans storm field". The Coloradoan. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  37. ^ Haaf, Landon (December 14, 2024). "Colorado's Travis Hunter wins the Heisman Trophy, second Buff ever to do it". ABC 7 Denver. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  38. ^ Lue, Andre (December 14, 2024). "Travis Hunter First Two-Way Heisman Winner Since Charles Woodson". Yahoo!. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  39. ^ Canfield, Ryan (December 14, 2024). "Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter wins Heisman Trophy". Fox News. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  40. ^ Reuter, Chad; Zierlein, Lance. "Travis Hunter Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  41. ^ "Travis Hunter College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  42. ^ Patra, Kevin (April 24, 2025). "2025 NFL Draft: Jaguars select Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter after trading up to No. 2 pick". NFL.com. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
  43. ^ "Buffs to Retire Travis Hunter's No. 12, Shedeur Sanders' No. 2 Jerseys Saturday" (Press release). Colorado Buffaloes. April 14, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  44. ^ Graham, Pat (December 12, 2024). "Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year". AP News. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  45. ^ Bender, Bill (December 19, 2024). "Colorado's Travis Hunter is The Sporting News 2024 Player of the Year". Sporting News. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  46. ^ "Colorado's Travis Hunter has been named winner of the Lott IMPACT® Trophy, presented by Allied Universal". Lott IMPACT® Trophy. December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  47. ^ "Travis Hunter Named Academic All-American of the Year". CUBuffs.com. January 29, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  48. ^ Al-Khateeb, Zac (December 13, 2023). "2023 consensus All-America team: Jayden Daniels, Brock Bowers lead SEC football selections". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  49. ^ "Travis Hunter Named Academic All-American". University of Colorado Athletics. January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  50. ^ "Travis Hunter". University of Colorado Athletics.
  51. ^ Tolle, Josh (September 5, 2023). "Colorado's Travis Hunter named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week". SI.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  52. ^ Jeyarajah, Shehan (October 28, 2024). "Travis Hunter becomes first player to simultaneously win Big 12 player of the week for offense, defense". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  53. ^ a b Wallace, Eric J. (September 5, 2022). "What if Travis Hunter Jr. followed his father's path to stardom in Boynton Beach?". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  54. ^ Thompson, Khari (February 16, 2022). "Travis Hunter, nation's No. 1 college football prospect, signs NIL deal with Black-owned coffee company". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  55. ^ "Greenwood and Travis Hunter Sign NIL Deal and Partner to Launch the "Choose Black" Campaign". Business Wire. July 27, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  56. ^ Keith, J.T. (September 15, 2022). "Jackson State's Travis Hunter signs NIL deal with Michael Strahan Brand". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  57. ^ Rittenberg, Adam (May 16, 2024). "Hunter, Ewers, Edwards share video game cover". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  58. ^ Gayle, Latoya (May 25, 2025). "Rising NFL Star Travis Hunter Marries Leanna Lenee at Luxury Tennessee Venue — and Surprises Her with a 6-Figure Gift". People.com. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  59. ^ Thompson, Scott (December 23, 2024). "Heisman winner Travis Hunter, fiancée delete social media amid rumors, criticism". Fox News. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  60. ^ "Travis and Leanna – YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
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