Lansdowne
Footballguy
Saving everyone a click:
"He better say wide receiver and DB (defensive back). He's got to," said Hunter.
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CB/WR Travis Hunter, JAX (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Faust
- Start date
"He better say wide receiver and DB (defensive back). He's got to," said Hunter.
rockaction
Footballguy
Colloquial and almost avuncular way of saying what so many naysayers of the two position thing are. But it sounds better coming from Smith than from some guy on high tut-tutting his desire to play both.
metoo
Footballguy
I’m still sticking to this.
rockaction
Footballguy
He didn’t run one. They estimate in the very high 4.3s or the 4.4s
Faust
MVP
Ian Rapoport
Travis Hunter did run routes, after all
Player Profiler
Travis Hunter WR only highlights for your timeline
Can we get this guy as a full-time WR in the NFL please
Chaka
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
A time that isn't Xavier Worthy's?
A bunch of analysts were all agog (or at least they noted with admiration) over him going through WR drills without gloves on.
Nary a bobble, they said.
While I do think Hunter has instant best CB in the NFL upside, his WR upside is extremely high too. He basically didn't attend offensive meetings in college. He was often told the route to run in the huddle, or via a sideline signal once he was lined up. Its very possible we've only seen his floor as a WR.
daveR
Footballguy
This was my only concern. There was lots of coverage here in Cleveland regarding the Colorado pro day. Reportedly, the coaches came away impressed. Same with Shedeur's arm strength.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Insider Reveals Unique Challenges That Come With Travis Hunter Wanting To Play Both Ways in NFL
... Hunter may struggle to get the necessary reps on both sides of the ball. In college, he primarily played cornerback while being signaled his offensive routes — a system that likely won’t work at the next level.
“The Buffaloes staff chose to have him practice and meet chiefly as a defensive back, since it’s easier to incorporate a player into a place piecemeal on offense than it is on defense. That meant he’d be a full-fledged part of whatever the defensive plan was in a given week, while getting work in on offense to create packages for him to play in. Then, on Saturday, Colorado would use him in those packages, and then signal in routes to him otherwise,” Breer said.
Hunter will likely follow a similar path in the NFL, focusing primarily on defense while seeing limited snaps on offense. The teams at the top of the draft could explore using him in both roles, but it may take time before he fully adjusts...
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An NFL defender has to know an entire offense and every tendency that he'll see, or he may give up a big play. An NFL offensive WR can line up and run a route without having to know all of the other offensive packages each week. The Buffs signaled-in plays on the sideline but that won't work in the NFL, they'll have to make an adjustment of some sort.
Travis will not be able to be in two different meeting rooms during the week so that is why the Buffaloes had him in defensive meetings. It makes sense that he'll be deployed the same way in the NFL. He's too valuable to limit to one position.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I've heard the complete opposite. That on defense, a CB can either play man and follow his guy like glue or sit in a zone and cover a section of the field. Not that difficult on the surface . . . the real challenge would be getting used to teams that run pick plays.
But on offense, teams switch play calls all the time at the LOS, and a WR will have to know multiple audible options on the same play. Additionally, most offenses these days require a WR to have hot reads every time he lines up based on what the defense shows, while also making real-time in-play adjustments on the fly depending upon what happens after the ball is snapped. That's why a lot of people I've seen speak on the situation say at the NFL level it would be really difficult to be a contributor on offense if he wasn't studying film and getting a lot of reps on offense.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
A defender would study the offense he's matched up against each week, he'd need to know as much as possible. You may disagree but I'm of the opinion he'd have to be in defensive meetings.
A WR would have to know audibles, but route trees only have so many options. Offenses tend to remain the same for one team over a season. Routes for an offense would remain the same each week for a #1 WR to a #4 WR which are different. Blocking responsibilities would be limited if audibled to a run play.
The Buffaloes ran an NFL offense with RPOs. The Colorado coaching plan was to utilize both offensive and defensive skills of Hunter. They chose to put him in defensive meetings each week where he went up against less sophisticated offenses. Travis performed as a top player on defense AND offense without attending offensive meetings.
More than one NFL talking head has echoed this would be the plan in the NFL if Hunter was going to be a two-way player and I'm pretty sure he will be used just as he was in college. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I've heard numerous discussions about Hunter fitting in in NE, and the offense McDaniels runs is so complicated that the collective group of analysts said he would have to be in so many film sessions, practices, and game day prep stuff that he wouldn't have the time and availability to do that on defense. Based on what NE had been running on defense (who knows if that will be the case with a new regime), they said it would not be that difficult for him to play nickelback on passing downs without too much difficultly or practice time. Maybe this combination is unique to the Patriots, but that's how multiple guys looked at it. Of course, they could be wrong . . .
rockaction
Footballguy
Jay Gruden said this exact thing. Hunter would need to be in meetings with the offense and that defense was easy because it was either man or zone. I suspect that the truth isn't that easy and lies somewhere nearer to the middle, but it's pretty much been coaches saying what you're saying. It's easy to cover man and zone you just have to know where you need to be on the field. I'd imagine passing off coverage to safeties is the tricky part of it all and he'd need reps, but that defense was just easier.
pinkstapler
Footballguy
To add on to these comments; judging by all the reports on how he was used in Colorado, and even coming from some of his WR scouting reports, Hunter likely needs the most work on the offensive side of the ball anyway transitioning to the NFL. He rarely if ever attended offensive meetings in college, ran a very limited offense to accommodate his being able to skip all those meetings as well as not killing him so he could play two ways, and his route running (as great as it is) is buoyed a lot by natural talent as well as his DB knowledge but he definitely has improvements to be made there. It would probably benefit his growth the most working with WR coaches and the OC as he still have room to really improve his game there. On the defensive side of the ball, outside of team specific plays and schemes it seems there's less to really glean for him there.
I think both sides of the ball are difficult to learn; and I believe defensive playbooks are typically bigger than offensive and change more week to week depending on matchup. But like others pointed out, his role as DB is largely isolated in that playbook. As a WR he'll still have assignments on nearly every play regardless of if it's schemed to him or not, or even if it's not a passing play.
I've long thought, especially for a guy like Hunter, he could get bye in coverage without a ton of practice time if you are isolating what you ask him to do and this seems to be the popular opinion. He's also apparently pretty intelligent, really I got super low concerns he won't be able to understand his assignments on defense.
The durability and stamina are always going to be the major concerns to me, not if he can actually perform both positions at a high level.
The durability and stamina are always going to be the major concerns to me, not if he can actually perform both positions at a high level.
greenmountaingoat
Footballguy
Top 10 AAV top contract- CB vs WR (per over the cap)
30 - 40
25 - 35
24 - 34
24 - 32
21 - 30
20 - 30
20 - 30
19 - 28
19 - 28
19 - 27
There's a pretty strong incentive for him to make his living as a WR and moonlight as a nickel corner.
30 - 40
25 - 35
24 - 34
24 - 32
21 - 30
20 - 30
20 - 30
19 - 28
19 - 28
19 - 27
There's a pretty strong incentive for him to make his living as a WR and moonlight as a nickel corner.
eighsse2
Footballguy
Does his preference actually matter? It could, but I don't know how much. If someone drafts him and says "you're a CB" he can refuse to play or demand a trade, but that's not usually a great thing to do.
rockaction
Footballguy
I think the Browns have already said they envision him at WR or something like that. Saw it on Twitter/X today. The Giants? Who knows? I think NE was talking about him at WR. I think it's just too valuable a position to those teams and he's cost-controlled, which means you get that extra value on top of it. You have a guy who is likely worth Amon-Ra's salary playing for the salary of the second slot in the draft.
In addition, I get the feeling that the general consensus of the guys at the top of the draft and a little bit below is to make him a receiver. Cleveland, New England, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, and the Jets all have gaping holes at WR.
rockaction
Footballguy
And . . . this is when he stopped being a value in any way, shape, or form in dynasty fantasy football.
Ray Barboni
Footballguy
wut
If the Cleveland Browns select this young man Travis Hunter at the NFL draft 2025 with pick 1.2 to primarily play the position of wide receiver, how high would you select him in fantasy rookie drafts? Perhaps pick 2 or 3 overall?
rockaction
Footballguy
MAC_32 asked me this question. I said 5, but I thought about it. He’s second. 2
Ray Barboni
Footballguy
Yes, that seems about right. I was hoping he’d fall further - but I don’t see that happening. I’d take him over TET, and over any of the RB’s after Jeanty.
Faust
MVP
@SleeperBrowns
Travis Hunter would be a massive addition to the #Browns’ WR room
65.5% career contested-catch rate is the highest of any 1st round WR ever recorded (2014-2025)
via @scoutdnfl @ @RAanalytics
Mr. Peterson
Footballguy
Apologize if this has been brought up before (I’m not reading the whole thread). If he plays both sides but has a CB designation, does his WR stats count? Could we be looking at a guy who you could change the fantasy game if you start him at CB?
It could be a cheat code.
Reminds me of when Tayson Hill was designated as a TE but played QB. It was almost unfair.
It could be a cheat code.
Reminds me of when Tayson Hill was designated as a TE but played QB. It was almost unfair.
massraider
Footballguy
Faust
MVP
Reel Analytics
Travis Hunter’s closing speed on this INT is unreal.
️Closed 6.9 YOS in 1 second
Elite ball tracking + fluid transition = game changing play
This is why his IGA Score® is top 1% at both CB and WR. Twitch, instincts, and game breaking athleticism on full display. #IGAScore #NFLDraft
Penguin
Footballguy
If he doesn't go @2 to Cleveland the Giants will grab him @3. Can't see him falling to NE @4
Penguin
Footballguy
Soulfly3
Footballguy
Sleeper has him as a WR too
Penguin
Footballguy
As well as RTC Sports and MFDL (although they don't give IDP points)
Mr. Peterson
Footballguy
I would think his biggest value would be if he could be put in lineups as a CB but collect WR points. He could be the highest scoring IDP by a long shot and completely change the game.
massraider
Footballguy
Without question.
Which would launch the biggest collective online wail since Colston was a TE.
No, MFL was always going to default him as a WR.
3 now, 3 at best, but will probably end up lower.
pinkstapler
Footballguy
Agree with 3 at best. For me 1.02 will be Hampton or even potentially another of the premiere backs landing in a prime spot with high draft capital (eg. something wild like Henderson to Chicago at 10). We can hypothetical that Hunter is going to play 100% of WR snaps, and that has had me move him firmly into the first round of rookie drafts. But I can't completely write off the risk it just may not work out that way and pass over (what I consider) high caliber fantasy RB1s in a great situation. I will always slightly lean towards the safer play with early first round draft picks and save my risky upside plays for later in the draft. Missing on Hunter hitting but walking away with an RB1 is palatable. Taking Hunter and getting nothing out of an early first can gut a squad.
I think we are thinking exactly alike, would have said all the similar stuff if I had expanded my answer more but you summed up everything I needed to say.
