During Super Bowl media availability, Travis Hunter spoke with Cam Newton about his HBCU experience at Jackson State University.

“I’m looking at it from that standpoint like, bro, if I go here, I open up more doors,” Hunter said. “My name is always gon’ be there. He went to an HBCU first. So I definitely wanted to open up those doors.”

Newton asked Hunter whether Jackson State would have the honor of claiming a Heisman Trophy winner as part of its legacy. Without hesitation, Hunter affirmed it.

“Definitely. You know, that’s where I started off at. I wasn’t in college yet. I had to go to college and find out. I went to Jackson State.”

Hunter played for Deion Sanders and Jackson State in the 2022 season, helping the team win a SWAC Championship and make it to the Celebration Bowl. Despite an injury sidelining him for part of the season, Hunter’s still made his presence felt.

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Just like his career at Colorado, Hunter excelled on both sides of the ball, recording two interceptions and ten pass breakups on defense, as well as making critical plays on offense, including catching a game-tying touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders in the fourth quarter of the Celebration Bowl to force overtime against North Carolina Central.

Hunter’s time at Jackson State marked what he described as his “proving grounds,” something he reiterated during his Heisman acceptance speech in December. Reflecting on his college career, Travis Hunter gave credit to Jackson State as the program that launched his collegiate trajectory.

“I thank all my brothers through college, Jackson State included,” Hunter said during his speech. “That was my learning grounds. That was my proving grounds. I had to start somewhere and I started there.”

Now, he sets out to start his next journey as one of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.