Former NFL Scout Loves Wide Receiver Travis Hunter

Colorado’s Travis Hunter is a superstar waiting to happen in the NFL ⎯as a wide receiver.

The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner also doubled as a cornerback for the Buffaloes playing Ironman football while participating in a gazillion reps. He showcased his rare God-given athleticism at both positions.

As a receiver, Hunter caught everything thrown to him (well almost everything) 96 passes on 125 targets (76.8% catch rate) for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a cornerback, Hunter gave up 22 catches on 40 targets (allowing a 55.0% catch rate). He intercepted four passes and defended another 11.

And that’s just the way it looked on this season’s game film.

Hunter was a “good” cornerback against a cush BIG 12 schedule, but he looked generational as a wide receiver.

Makes it easy for his quarterback

Hunter is natural at creating throwing windows.

He either out-muscles corners covering him to create the needed space, or he puts on a move to get open. He also attacks the ball, often moving toward it when it’s in the air, which creates even more separation from the defender.

Picking up yardage after the catch

Hunter really excels at this. The only thing harder than covering Hunter is getting him down after the catch.

Hunter fights for every yard after receptions ⎯he’ll even pull out a stiff arm.

Hunter is everywhere the ball wants to be

This prospect has the rare combination of finesse and aggression. He’s a ball magnet with instinctual ball skills.

Not only is he not afraid to mix it up ⎯he enjoys getting physical with corners. Passes thought to be ’50-50 balls,’ are more like 90-10 balls, Hunter’s favor.

The way he PROACTIVELY tracks and adjusts to the ball when it’s in the air (and he’s the intended receiver) is special.

What about as a cornerback?

The way he REACTIVELY plays receivers is not as special.

Hunter was great when he was able to stay in front of receivers and be his usual sticky and handsy athletically gifted self. He physically crowded receivers most of the time using his hands like brail to guide him whichever way the receiver was headed.

Problems didn’t pop until his lack of instincts for the position were tested and exposed when he didn’t have the luxury of reading it, and then using his hands to guide him to move with the receiver to the spot. In these situations, when he had to rely on his “instincts,” he tended to show a SPLIT-SECOND REACTIONARY DELAY IN SPACE ⎯and that’s when they got him. Hunter couldn’t make up the difference in time.

🚩 Receivers dictated too much.

#12 Travis Hunter 6-foot-1, 185 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Final NFL Draft Grade: First-Round wide receiver/Second-Round cornerback

Projected by 99.1% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of January 16, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Travis Hunter is an Elite Athlete (2023: 9 games evaluated)

2024 game film evaluated: NDSU, Nebraska, Colorado State, Baylor, UCF, Kansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and BYU (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Receiver: Dominant alpha at all three route levels (short, intermediate, and deep). End-zone minded. Makes it look easy. Emotional showboat. Fluid. Quick sudden moves. Easily achieves route leverage. Drives off corners and settles back down underneath. Bendy and wiggly at breakpoints. Flexible. Arched back. Knows how to work corners. Aware when QB is in trouble. Focused in traffic. Strong hands. Tends to pluck the ball away from his body. Draws pass interference calls. Average catch radius.

Cornerback: Confident splash play press-man corner. Good, not great long-distance playing speed. Smooth peddle and transition. Mirrors and shadows in close quarters. Anticipates routes better than the receivers do when he can keep the game in front of him or when routes flatten out. Downhill burst. Inexperienced in off-man. Overconfident. Too willing to give up underneath stuff baiting. Struggled vs. shallow crossing routes. Mostly after the fact tackler in zone coverage. Wasn’t challenged much deep. Downhill burst. Support banger. However, not always willing.

Final words

Draft and start Hunter as a wide receiver and watch the sparks fly.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.