Travis Hunter has a chance to make history if he wins the Heisman Trophy.
The Colorado superstar could be the first full-time two-way player to win the award — and the first defensive player since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson to win college football's most-prestigious award.
That is the most-frequent comparison, even if it's not a complete one. Hunter was a full-time receiver and cornerback for the Buffaloes this season. Woodson was a cornerback who mixed in at receiver and returner for the Wolverines' national championship team in 1997. Woodson often is referred to as the "last primarily defensive player" to win the award.
Hunter is a Heisman finalist in 2024 along with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
How will they describe Hunter if he wins the award? Here's a look at the comparisons between Hunter and Woodson – and other two-way college football superstars.
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Travis Hunter stats 2024
According to Pro Football Focus, Hunter played 1,443 snaps this season while splitting time on offense, defense and special teams. He was a standout on both sides of the ball for the Buffaloes, who finished 9-3 in Deion Sanders' second season as head coach.
Offense
Hunter finished with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 TDs this season. He was one of just two receivers who had at least 90 catches, 1,000 yards and 10 TDs this season. The other was San Jose State's Nick Nash, who had 104 catches for 1,382 yards and 16 TDs.
Travis Hunter was surrounded by FOUR defenders before jumping up and making this catch 🔥🤯 pic.twitter.com/z06MlXewd2
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 16, 2024
Hunter book-ended the season with remarkable performances against North Dakota State and Oklahoma State. He had seven catches for 132 yards and three TDs against the Bison. He added 10 catches for 116 yards and three TDs against the Cowboys. Hunter had seven games with 100-plus receiving yards.
Defense
Hunter had 32 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass breakups on defense while playing in Colorado's secondary. He also had a forced fumble in overtime that helped the Buffaloes clinch a 38-31 overtime victory against Baylor on Sept. 21.
TRAVIS HUNTER FORCES THE FUMBLE FOR THE COLORADO WIN 😤🔥@CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/9HIumwyqCl
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 22, 2024
What year did Charles Woodson win the Heisman?
Woodson won the Heisman Trophy as a star cornerback for Michigan in 1997. The Wolverines finished 12-0 and won the national championship that season.
The 1997 Heisman Trophy finalists was one of the most-loaded groups of all time. It featured three future Pro Football Hall of Fame players in Woodson, Peyton Manning and Randy Moss. Ryan Leaf was the other finalist. A look at the voting from 1997:
| PLACE | PLAYER | SCHOOL | CLASS | POS. | VOTES |
| 1 | Charles Woodson | Michigan | Jr. | CB | 1,815 |
| 2 | Peyton Manning | Tennessee | Sr. | QB | 1,543 |
| 3 | Ryan Leaf | Washington State | Jr. | QB | 861 |
| 4 | Randy Moss | Marshall | So. | WR | 253 |
Charles Woodson stats 1997
Woodson, like Hunter, had a knack for making the right plays at the right time for the Wolverines in 1997. He led college football with seven interceptions that season, and Michigan coach Lloyd Carr began using Woodson on offense in the return game.
Woodson had 11 catches for 231 yards and two TDs. He also had 33 punt returns for 283 yards.
Woodson sealed the Heisman Trophy with a remarkable performance against No. 4 Ohio State on Nov. 22, 1997. Woodson had an interception in the end zone, caught a 37-yard pass to set up a TD and had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown that helped Michigan clinch a 20-14 victory against the Buckeyes. Michigan went on to beat No. 8 Washington State 21-16 in the Rose Bowl to clinch the AP national championship.
#PlayOfTheDay (1997): Charles Woodson's punt return beats Ohio State and seals Michigan's perfect regular season pic.twitter.com/dJMyDHOJoL
— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) May 9, 2016
How many defensive players have won the Heisman?
Woodson is the only defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy. Since 1997, four defensive players have finished in the top five in the voting.
Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2009. He had 12 sacks for the Huskers. Alabama's Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy that season.
LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu finished fifth in the voting in 2011. Baylor's Robert Griffin III won the award that season.
Ohio State's Chase Young finished fourth in 2019. He had 16.5 sacks for the Buckeyes. LSU's Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy that season.
Alabama linebacker Will Anderson finished fifth in 2021 after putting up 17.5 sacks. Teammate Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy that season.
History of two-way players in college football
Hunter and Woodson aren't the only players who played multiple positions who have been superstars at the college level dating back to legendary players such as Jim Thorpe, Bronko Nagurski, Dick Butkus and Chuck Bednarik. A few other players who have played both ways in the modern era:
Paul Hornung, QB/HB/DB, Notre Dame
Hornung – also known as the "The Golden Boy" – won the Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame in 1955. He won the Heisman Trophy as a quarterback for the Irish in 1956, but he also played halfback and defensive back for the Irish. The Hornung Award is presented to the most-versatile player in college football. Hunter won the award in 2023 and 2024.
Champ Bailey, WR/CB, Georgia
Bailey is the best comp to Hunter as a player. He played for the Bulldogs from 1996-98. In 1998, Bailey had 47 catches for 744 yards and five TDs on offense and three interceptions on defense. He also averaged 21.8 yards per kickoff return.
Chris Gamble, WR/DB, Ohio State
Gamble was a two-way player for the Buckeyes from 2001-03, and he was a key piece in the Buckeyes' national championship run in 2002. He had 31 catches for 499 yards as a receiver and three interceptions on defense.
