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Many questions remain about Travis Hunter weeks ahead of the NFL Draft. Whether the Colorado football standout is talented is not up for debate, but where he will be drafted and where he will play on the football field seems very much up for debate even after the Buffaloes' Pro Day.
Hunter won the Heisman Trophy as a junior for his play on both offense and defense. As a wide receiver and defensive back, Hunter rarely left the field for the Buffaloes, who relied heavily on the rare two-way talent.
In the NFL, though, teams will be far more reluctant to throw a player, particularly one projected to be an early first-round draft pick, onto the field to play offense and defense full-time. Instead, Hunter and the team drafting him will probably have to decide where he should focus his efforts.
According to ESPN's NFL draft analysts, there is nothing close to a consensus on the issue.
“It varies team by team,” Matt Miller wrote for ESPN. “I've spoken to scouts who rave about his ball skills and ability to make defenders miss as an elite receiver. Others talk up his instincts and change-of-direction skills, which would make him a top-tier cornerback. There isn't total agreement on his best position, and it could completely depend on where he lands.”
Similarly, Jordan Reid said there is a “wide array of opinions” on the best position for Hunter. Redi said he is personally in favor of Hunter prioritizing defense as a cornerback but still remaining a 20-to-25-play option on offense.
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Field Yates said that very well may be an option, at least from what he is hearing from NFL teams.
“I haven't yet spoken to a team that thinks Hunter will play one side of the ball exclusively (all envision at least a part time role on the side where he isn't featured), and I've yet to find a team that thinks his ceiling is low at either spot. Hunter's Pro Bowl upside at wide receiver or cornerback is very real,” Yates wrote.
Two-way players are very rare in the NFL, with most that fit the description being part of goal line packages, such as multi-time Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt occasionally playing tight end. If Hunter is actually utilized consistently on both sides of the ball, he will instantly become one of the most unique players in NFL history.
Hunter is projected to be one of the first picks in the upcoming draft, with former New York Jets executive Mike Tannenbaum predicting the Cleveland Browns will take Hunter with the second overall selection.
