NFL Draft Travis Hunter — too special not to draft?
- Thread starter OconRecon
- Start date
65.5% career contested-catch rate is the highest of any 1st round WR ever recorded (2014-2025)
TheBestPlayersPlay
Die-Hard
Yah. Feeling that way too. Would like to see that further broken down to how he played against players with an NFL future. These guys feasted against nobody, but that contested catch stat is interesting. Great at catching in traffic ...but I am surprised there was that much traffic with that much separation.
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
From The Beast, which released today on the NYT's The Athletic, some background:
Background
Travis Hunter Jr. was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Fla., with his parents (Travis Hunter Sr. and Ferrante Edmonds). He has said that he “doesn’t like to be reminded about his childhood,” because of the challenges (crime and poverty) his family faced. His father was a football and track star at Boynton Beach High (2001-05), including a 10.82-second 100-meter dash. But he was unable to continue his athletic career in college, as he had two children at home, including young Travis. Travis Hunter Sr. played semi-pro football in the FFA (Florida Football Alliance) and SSFL (Southern States Football League), but he was unable to catch on with a CFL or an NFL team.
Travis Hunter Jr. started playing football at age 4, when his grandmother got him involved in a youth football league. He was also a standout in basketball throughout middle school, although his favorite activity was fishing. In spring of Hunter’s eighth grade year, his mother and stepfather moved the family from Palm Beach County to suburban Atlanta. Hunter later moved in with one of his high school assistant coaches (Frontia Fountain) for two years to stay focused on football and academics.
After the move to Suwanee, Hunter enrolled at Collins Hill High in Gwinnett County, one of the most talent-rich areas in high school recruiting. After getting some varsity experience as a two-way freshman, he became a sophomore starter at cornerback and wide receiver and posted 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 36 tackles and seven interceptions. As a junior, Hunter led Collins Hill to a 12-3 record and an appearance in the 2019 state championship game. He was named 2020 Georgia Player of the Year, with 137 catches for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns (all of which set Gwinnett County records), along with two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Hunter also posted 51 tackles, eight interceptions and one forced fumble. As a senior in 2021, he led Collins Hill to a 15-1 record and the school’s first state title. Despite missing five games with a right ankle injury, Hunter again was named the top player in the state (85 catches for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns; 25 tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble).
He finished his All-America high school career with a combined 272 catches, 3,963 yards and a state-record 48 touchdowns, and he also had 19 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns). Hunter played point guard on the Collins Hill basketball team.
A five-star recruit, Hunter was the top-ranked cornerback in the 2022 recruiting class and the consensus No. 1 recruit in the class. During a scrimmage in May 2019, as a freshman, he showed out in front of a crowd of recruiters, which led to offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Hunter added offers from Clemson, Michigan, Texas and basically had his choice of whichever school he wanted to attend. After his sophomore season, he committed to Florida State and newly hired head coach Mike Norvell (March 2020). Hunter continued to take visits throughout the process, including to Georgia and Florida State. On signing day, though, he shocked the college football world by flipping to FCS Jackson State. He said head coach Deion Sanders, whom he considers a “father figure,” sold him on following the same path as Jerry Rice, Walter Payton and others by attending an HBCU program. Hunter became the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with an FCS program.
Sanders accepted the coaching position at Colorado after the 2022 season, and Hunter followed him to Boulder for the next two years. He proposed to his fiancée (Leanna Lenee) in February 2024. Hunter reportedly had an NIL valuation of $3.3 million in 2024, including deals with NerdWallet, United Airlines and EA Sports as the cover athlete of “College Football 25.” An Academic All-American, Hunter was an anthropology major with a 3.6 GPA. He had an unprecedented award season in 2024, taking home the Heisman Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award (nation’s top defender), Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver), Paul Hornung Award (nation’s most versatile player) and the Walter Camp Player of the Year. He elected to skip his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.
Background
Travis Hunter Jr. was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Fla., with his parents (Travis Hunter Sr. and Ferrante Edmonds). He has said that he “doesn’t like to be reminded about his childhood,” because of the challenges (crime and poverty) his family faced. His father was a football and track star at Boynton Beach High (2001-05), including a 10.82-second 100-meter dash. But he was unable to continue his athletic career in college, as he had two children at home, including young Travis. Travis Hunter Sr. played semi-pro football in the FFA (Florida Football Alliance) and SSFL (Southern States Football League), but he was unable to catch on with a CFL or an NFL team.
Travis Hunter Jr. started playing football at age 4, when his grandmother got him involved in a youth football league. He was also a standout in basketball throughout middle school, although his favorite activity was fishing. In spring of Hunter’s eighth grade year, his mother and stepfather moved the family from Palm Beach County to suburban Atlanta. Hunter later moved in with one of his high school assistant coaches (Frontia Fountain) for two years to stay focused on football and academics.
After the move to Suwanee, Hunter enrolled at Collins Hill High in Gwinnett County, one of the most talent-rich areas in high school recruiting. After getting some varsity experience as a two-way freshman, he became a sophomore starter at cornerback and wide receiver and posted 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 36 tackles and seven interceptions. As a junior, Hunter led Collins Hill to a 12-3 record and an appearance in the 2019 state championship game. He was named 2020 Georgia Player of the Year, with 137 catches for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns (all of which set Gwinnett County records), along with two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Hunter also posted 51 tackles, eight interceptions and one forced fumble. As a senior in 2021, he led Collins Hill to a 15-1 record and the school’s first state title. Despite missing five games with a right ankle injury, Hunter again was named the top player in the state (85 catches for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns; 25 tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble).
He finished his All-America high school career with a combined 272 catches, 3,963 yards and a state-record 48 touchdowns, and he also had 19 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns). Hunter played point guard on the Collins Hill basketball team.
A five-star recruit, Hunter was the top-ranked cornerback in the 2022 recruiting class and the consensus No. 1 recruit in the class. During a scrimmage in May 2019, as a freshman, he showed out in front of a crowd of recruiters, which led to offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Hunter added offers from Clemson, Michigan, Texas and basically had his choice of whichever school he wanted to attend. After his sophomore season, he committed to Florida State and newly hired head coach Mike Norvell (March 2020). Hunter continued to take visits throughout the process, including to Georgia and Florida State. On signing day, though, he shocked the college football world by flipping to FCS Jackson State. He said head coach Deion Sanders, whom he considers a “father figure,” sold him on following the same path as Jerry Rice, Walter Payton and others by attending an HBCU program. Hunter became the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with an FCS program.
Sanders accepted the coaching position at Colorado after the 2022 season, and Hunter followed him to Boulder for the next two years. He proposed to his fiancée (Leanna Lenee) in February 2024. Hunter reportedly had an NIL valuation of $3.3 million in 2024, including deals with NerdWallet, United Airlines and EA Sports as the cover athlete of “College Football 25.” An Academic All-American, Hunter was an anthropology major with a 3.6 GPA. He had an unprecedented award season in 2024, taking home the Heisman Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award (nation’s top defender), Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver), Paul Hornung Award (nation’s most versatile player) and the Walter Camp Player of the Year. He elected to skip his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.
TheBestPlayersPlay
Die-Hard
King of Kings
Back In Back
I really need to free up some time to go study Pickett more.
If he is everything that people are alluding to, this kid could be the perfect draft pick for him. Especially if this guy can create serious YAC. Still need a RB as well, though, and I am still on the Judkins wagon on that one.
If he is everything that people are alluding to, this kid could be the perfect draft pick for him. Especially if this guy can create serious YAC. Still need a RB as well, though, and I am still on the Judkins wagon on that one.
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
Since everyone is all doubting on the QB, let's just beef up the OL, add one of the many very good RB's in the draft (and resign Chubb), draft a pass catching TE (like Fannin), and weaponize the WR's with Hunter, Jeudy, etc.
Getting back to the pulling guard offense is the most important thing anyway (I'm telling myself).
Getting back to the pulling guard offense is the most important thing anyway (I'm telling myself).
Stylepoints
Memento Mori
Does anyone know if his opposition was good? Or did he ball out in a weak division?
King of Kings
Back In Back
He balled out in a super weak conference. That's the issue with both Hunter and Sanders, they looked great playing D2 scrubs.
madmadworld
The Official TV Watcher
Stylepoints
Memento Mori
I'd rather have them pick up a solid receiver/corner and pick a QB later.
I think Picket can make something happen.
I think Picket can make something happen.
TheBestPlayersPlay
Die-Hard
Was listening to Matt Ward this morning on CBD, (I think that's his name) he says Hunter is not the best WR in the class. If true then I have to ask again ...if he isn't the best on either side of the football, why draft him at 2? Makes no sense.
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
He’s the #1 player on every single big board out there. Seems like a reasonable pick, although I’d rather go QB due to the positional importance.
He's for sure the consensus #1 WR, sans those who exclude him because the combine labeled him as a DB.
He's also the consensus #1 DB.
There are outliers, but on average, he's #1 at both positions on average.
The next closest is that Tetris guy, who off the field, is the opposite of Hunter. Tet doesn't like or study film etc, meanwhile, Hunter lives and breaths football. A total junkie.
Consensus DB's:
2025 Consensus Big Board | NFL Mock Draft Database
The 2025 Consensus NFL Big Board from NFL Mock Draft Database. We've compiled all featured big boards into a single board.
www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com
Wide Receiver Rankings 2025 NFL Draft
Wide Receiver s prospect rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft. Breakdowns of the best Wide Receiver prospects and averages of other scouting reports.
www.nfldraftbuzz.com
Travis Hunter NFL Draft 2025 profile: Full scouting report, pro comparison, best fits, future outlook and more
Hunter is not just the top CB; he's the best WR on tape in this draft class
www.cbssports.com
Martin Eden
Well-known member
Big 12 is not a "super weak conference." It doesn't have D2 scrubs. It's not the Big 10 or the SEC, but it's not D2 either. Where did Jerry Rice play in college?