There’s no debating that Colorado’s Travis Hunter is one of the most talented prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. His ability to dominate on both sides of the ball is rare—not just in today’s game, but across any era.
But that uniqueness may also be what complicates his draft projection the most.
As teams try to determine how to best utilize a potential $40 million investment, USA Today’s Brent Schrotenboer described Hunter as “an unusual puzzle to solve.” The question isn’t just how to use him, but whether a team can do so in a way that maximizes his talent without putting his availability at risk.
And Hunter’s own comments may not have helped his cause.
When asked by CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell what he would do if a team insisted he play just one position, Hunter didn’t hesitate.
“It's never playing football again,” he said. “Because I've been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”
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That kind of statement could give NFL front offices serious pause—especially with the wear and tear of a 17-game schedule. While it’s possible a team could design limited packages for both offense and defense, the more likely outcome is a focus on one role.
Hunter played an eye-popping 1,484 snaps across offense, defense, and special teams last season—for just 13 games. Replicating that kind of usage in the NFL seems unrealistic.
With the draft just over a week away, Hunter's insistence on playing both ways might prompt teams to reconsider their position. If a franchise uses a top-five pick and Hunter ultimately refuses to play a single role, that could be a costly gamble no team is willing to make.