Travis Hunter
Hunter with Jackson State
Colorado Buffaloes – No. 12
PositionCornerback
Wide receiver
ClassSophomore
MajorPsychology
Personal information
Born: (2003-05-18) May 18, 2003
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career history
College
High schoolCollins Hill
(Suwanee, Georgia)
Career highlights and awards

Travis Hunter Jr. (born May 18, 2003) is an American football cornerback and wide receiver for the Colorado Buffaloes. He previously played for the Jackson State Tigers, where he was the highest-ranked prospect to ever commit to an HBCU or FCS program. Hunter transferred to Colorado in 2023, where he won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football.

High school career

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Hunter moved to Georgia as an eighth grader.[1] He attended Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, where he played cornerback and wide receiver for the Eagles. As a sophomore, he led the county with seven interceptions while recording 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns.[1] As a junior, Hunter made eight interceptions and 51 tackles in addition to catching 137 passes for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns, earning MaxPreps Georgia Player of the Year honors.[2] He also set Gwinnett County single-season records in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns,[1] leading the Eagles to a 12–3 record and an appearance in the Class 7A state title game.[2]

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,[3] even after missing five games due to a mid-season ankle injury.[4] In the state title game, he made 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, as well as a forced fumble, to cap off a perfect 15–0 record and Collins Hill's first state championship in school history.[5] In his final high school game, Hunter made 10 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns in their 40–36 defeat to Washington state champs Graham-Kapowsin in the GEICO State Championship Bowl Series.[6] He also broke the Georgia state record in career receiving touchdowns, previously held by Braxton Hicks, with 48.[6]

Hunter was selected to play in the 2022 Polynesian Bowl, where he won Offensive MVP honors after recording five receptions for 54 yards, in addition to an interception on defense.[7]

Recruiting

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college 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 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports:5/5 stars    ESPN:5/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2022 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

Hunter was considered the number one overall recruit by both 247Sports.com and Rivals.com,[8][9] as well as number two by ESPN (behind Walter Nolen).[10] After having received a scholarship from Florida State in November 2019, he committed to the Seminoles on March 3, 2020, one day after making his first visit to the school.[11] He made his choice over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Oklahoma, among others.[8]

On December 15, 2021, Hunter flipped his commitment to the Jackson State Tigers coached by Deion Sanders, a Florida State alum, in an unprecedented move.[3][12][13] He had visited the school the month before, attending their sellout Soul Bowl victory on November 20.[14] As the number one recruit in the nation, Hunter became the first five-star recruit to ever sign with a HBCU or an FCS program.[12] Dustin Lewis of Sports Illustrated called it "probably the most shocking decision in the history of college football recruiting" while Steve Wiltfong, the national director of recruiting for 247Sports.com, said it was "the biggest signing day moment in the history of college football".[3][13]

College career

Jackson State

2022 season

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 recorded his first collegiate touchdown as well as his first interception against Alabama A&M on November 12, 2022.[16] 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.[17]

Colorado

Hunter transferred to the University of Colorado in 2023, following Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders.[18] In his FBS debut, Hunter played 147 total snaps across offense and defense in a 45-42 upset win over the TCU Horned Frogs.[19][20]

College statistics

Season Games Receiving Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GPGSRecYdsAvgTDSoloAstCmbTfLSckIntYdsAvgTDPDFRFFTD
Jackson State Tigers
2022 881818810.44154190.00.024422.018100
Colorado Buffaloes
2023 995772112.65228302.00.03–10–3.305000
Career17177590912.193712492.00.05346.8113100

Personal life

Hunter's father, Travis Sr., starred on the football and track teams at Boynton Beach Community High School.[21] He went on to play semipro football in the Florida Football Alliance and the Southern States Football League, winning the latter's Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2007.[21]

In February 2022, Hunter signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with J5 Caffe, a coffee company based in Columbus, Mississippi.[22] In July 2022, Hunter signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Greenwood, a financial technology company based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the first NIL deal for Greenwood.[23] In September 2022, he became a brand ambassador for Michael Strahan's brands.[24]

Notes

  1. ↑ Selected as all-purpose / return specialist
  2. ↑ Selected as all-purpose / special teams player (not a kicker or returner)

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hammock, Will (August 17, 2021). "SUPER SIX FOOTBALL: Collins Hill's Travis Hunter makes case as Gwinnett's best ever". Phelps County Focus. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Travis Hunter named 2020 MaxPreps Georgia High School Football Player of the Year". MaxPreps. January 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Lewis, Dustin (December 15, 2021). "BREAKING: No. 1 prospect Travis Hunter makes his college decision". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ Friedlander, David (December 11, 2021). "Collins Hill caps perfect football season with first state championship". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Friedlander, David (December 18, 2021). "Collins Hill loses heartbreaker to Washington State champion in GEICO Bowl Series". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ Carr, Tolly (January 23, 2022). "Travis Hunter named MVP at Polynesian Bowl". HBCU Gameday. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Travis Hunter". 247Sports.com. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Travis Hunter". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Travis Hunter". ESPN. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  11. ↑ Weiler, Curt (March 3, 2020). "2022 defensive back Travis Hunter Jr. commits to Florida State". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Collins Hill's Travis Hunter signs with Jackson State". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  13. 1 2 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.
  14. ↑ Garcia Jr., John (November 22, 2021). "Deion Sanders, Jackson State Host Travis Hunter in Rare Visit for Top Recruits and HBCUs". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 20, 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. ↑ "Jackson State football's Travis Hunter intercepts first pass on heels of first touchdown". The Tennessean. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ "2022 Season Stats (PDF)" (PDF). Jackson State University. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ Howell, Brian (September 3, 2023). "Football notes: CU Buffs' Travis Hunter shines on both sides of ball". BuffZone. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Colorado Buffaloes vs. TCU Horned Frogs Live Score and Stats - September 2, 2023 Gametracker". CBSSports.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  21. 1 2 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.
  22. ↑ 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.
  23. ↑ "Greenwood and Travis Hunter Sign NIL Deal and Partner to Launch the "Choose Black" Campaign". Business Wire. July 27, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  24. ↑ 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.
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