“The only thing I got is trophies.” That was Travis Hunter’s parting shot as he stood in the middle of the Colorado Buffs’ facility—calm, self-assured, and for one last time. It wasn’t just a flex. It was a statement of legacy, sealed in gold and grit. After electrifying college football with his two-way dominance, Hunter, now the Jacksonville Jaguars’ No. 2 overall pick, returned to the place that helped define his journey: Boulder. And when he walked back into his father-like coach Deion Sanders a.k.a. Coach Prime’s office, the emotion hit like altitude air in the lungs of a first-timer.

From stealing Coach Prime’s shoes gifted by LeBron James to going out fishing with him, Hunter’s unannounced visit to the Colorado Buffaloes’ facility wasn’t about media optics or nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It was personal. The cameras from Well Off Media may have captured it, but what unfolded between Travis Hunter and Deion Sanders was raw, unfiltered family energy. The former five-star recruit, who followed Coach Prime from Jackson State to Colorado, didn’t just come back to shake hands and smile for photos. He came back to ground himself—to reconnect with the man who pushed him, believed in him, and challenged him to turn generational potential into prime-time production.

The moment Coach Prime saw Hunter walk in, his reaction was pure Deion: shocked, then elated, then cracking jokes. “I can come down there and get some good fishing. Really good fishing,” Sanders said with that signature grin, already imagining Florida getaways. But Hunter wasn’t letting his mentor have all the punchlines. “I already jumped in and caught a six-pounder,” he clapped back, matching wits with the Hall-of-Famer as only someone in his inner circle can. It was a full-circle reunion—mentor and protégé, standing at the crossroads of departure and legacy.

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But it wasn’t all laughs and banter. Beneath the warmth, there was weight. Hunter is in transition mode—packing his life into boxes, leaving the thin air of Boulder for the humidity and heat of Jacksonville. Yet even there, his attention to detail surfaced. “That’s why I put a whole AirTag in every box,” he told Sanders, speaking with the calm confidence on how to handle change. “I ain’t got nothing that can break. The only thing I got is trophies.” It wasn’t just memorable. It was defining. That’s Travis Hunter in a sentence.

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For those who saw him rip down passes on defense, then turn around and torch cornerbacks on offense, that goodbye felt like the end of an era. But Hunter wasn’t just saying farewell—he was handing the baton to whoever’s next. Folsom Field won’t forget No. 12 anytime soon. And neither will Coach Prime, whose eyes quietly said what his jokes didn’t: This one’s gonna be hard to replace. Meanwhile, the buzz in Jacksonville isn’t just about how Hunter fits into the scheme—it’s about where he fits.

A Jaguars legend has already stepped in to cool the debate, clarifying that whether Hunter locks down the perimeter as a shutdown corner or lights up defenses as a wideout, the team didn’t “misuse” their pick—they made a bet on a unicorn.

Fred Taylor on Travis Hunter: ‘He’s still so raw’

Former Jaguars legend Fred Taylor has seen his fair share of freak athletes, and when it comes to Buffs star Travis Hunter, he’s all in. In a recent interview with 1010XL, Taylor made it clear—Hunter is the real deal, no matter where you line him up on the field. He can cook the other teams as a cornerback and wide receiver alike.

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via Imago NFL, American Football Herren, USA Jacksonville Jaguars-Travis Hunter press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Apr 25, 2025 Jacksonville, FL, USA Jacksonville Jaguars first round draft pick Travis Hunter talks to the media during a press conference at Miller Electric Center. Jacksonville Miller Electric Center FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTravisxRegisterx 20250425_jcd_na7_0028

“But when you look at his ball skills, you know, you look at his technicals, like, just his techniques, he’s still so raw,” Taylor said. “I mean, he’s had great coaching by one of the best ever, and Deion was so raw. He was just pure athlete. This is what we’re getting in Travis.”

Taylor sees the same untapped potential in Hunter that the NFL saw in Deion “Prime Time” Sanders. The kicker? Hunter isn’t just raw talent—he’s got the motor to back it up. “That stamina and endurance to be able to play the amount of plays he plays, and not just right one week or two weeks. He did it every single week, the entire season,” Taylor pointed out. “And he proved to everybody, this is what I want to do. This is what I’m gonna do. Now the NFL game is much different. Don’t get me wrong, but he’s in great shape.”

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So, CB or WR? Fred Taylor isn’t stressing about the title—he’s just ready to watch a generational athlete grow.

Earlier this year, the Jacksonville Jaguars acquired Travis Hunter. Many are wondering how the team plans to use him, but head coach Liam Coen has developed a strategy to let him shine as both a wide receiver and a cornerback.

A player like Travis Hunter is a rare sight in the NFL. He honed his skills at both wide receiver and cornerback during college, and he’s committed to continuing that dual-role approach at the professional level.

While many analysts believe Hunter will eventually have to focus on one position, the Jaguars think otherwise. The AFC South club recognizes the unique talent they have and the potential impact he can make on both sides of the ball.

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HC Liam Coen explains how the Jaguars are working to develop Travis Hunter

When the Jaguars traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft, it was clear they were targeting Travis Hunter. He was widely regarded as a top-tier prospect—one capable of transforming a franchise.

see also Raiders star Maxx Crosby offers crucial advice to Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter ahead of 2025 NFL season

Hunter is a true dual-threat, excelling as both a wide receiver and a cornerback. He developed these skills while playing at Colorado under Coach Deion Sanders, who also played both positions during his Hall of Fame NFL career.

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Sanders’ experience helped Hunter grow into a rare two-way talent. However, the NFL is a much more demanding stage, and many wonder if Hunter can truly succeed in both roles at the next level.

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Despite the challenges, the Jaguars believe he can. That’s why head coach Liam Coen has unveiled the team’s development plan, designed to help their first-round pick contribute on both offense and defense.

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“We built a plan and then sat him down and really talked through it,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said on the “Pat McAfee Show.” “How does he learn? What is the best ways that he learns? We did gain some of that information throughout the draft process, but when you actually sit down with him and get a feeling, ‘Well, he likes to walk-through more than sit in a meeting-room setting, so let’s do more walk-throughs.’ Every day he was on offense, he also met with the defensive staff in the afternoons, and vice versa.

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“Typically throughout this offseason, he was on one side of ball in practice, and he didn’t flip-flop. Today, he did. And he played both sides of the ball in practice today and that will have to continue on throughout training camp where he’s playing on both sides of the ball and getting that mental and physical endurance throughout the training camp, because that’s what he’s going to have to do in games. So ultimately, we’re building a foundation right now of both sides of the football, but he’s going to have to do both in practice because that’s what the game is going to be like, and we’ll sit down and reevaluate what we did this spring to see what’s the best moving forward.”

Why hasn’t Travis Hunter signed his rookie contract yet?

Travis Hunter remains the only top-10 pick from the 2025 NFL Draft who has not signed his rookie contract. While his four-year, $46.571 million deal is locked in by the rookie wage scale, there are still aspects being negotiated.

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see also NFL News: Jaguars may have already decided which position Travis Hunter will play

According to Ian Rapoport, Hunter is currently discussing the timing of his signing bonus payout, along with the incentive structure of his contract. Because he’s expected to play both offense and defense, outlining fair and measurable incentives has proven to be more complex than usual.

Jaguars Send Clear Message About Travis Hunter’s Stamina originally appeared on The Spun.

For all of the doubts about whether or not Travis Hunter can play both sides of the ball in the NFL, the team that drafted him doesn’t seem to have any.

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During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Jaguars GM James Gladstone talked about how the reigning Heisman Trophy winner simply doesn’t get tired.

And he’s not ruling out Hunter being a two-way star at the next level with the stamina level he possesses — even if he stopped short of committing to a certain number of offensive or defensive naps per game for the former Colorado star.

“Time will truly tell, and I think the thing you can, in fact, read into at this stage is that he does not tire,” Gladstone explained. “He has got a spark, he has got the energy, the capacity from a physical standpoint to be able to do it is certainly there. It’ll be in terms of one game to the next, where does it sit, where does it make the most sense, certain game plans might dictate usage differently.”

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“So time will truly tell, and I don’t know that one game to the next is going to be the exact same. Putting a number on it at this stage is, I think probably premature, but look forward to seeing how it plays out here.”

Hunter has primarily worked with Jacksonville’s offense early in OTAs. However, he’s also been attending defensive meetings and Gladstone believes the learning curve won’t be as steep for him at cornerback.

May 10, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) participates in a drill during rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images© Travis Register-Imagn Images

“Our understanding that Travis is most naturally comfortable, most naturally in-tune on the defensive side of the ball,” the GM said. “We wanted to load him offensively throughout this window to ensure that by the time we got to training camp, we had a runway built up on that side because there is so much more nuance.”

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Regardless of where he lines up, the Jags appear confident that the No. 2 pick will stand up and deliver.

Related: Paul Finebaum Trashes Additions To The Pac-12 Conference

Jaguars Send Clear Message About Travis Hunter’s Stamina first appeared on The Spun on Jun 17, 2025

This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

Travis Hunter, the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie and former Colorado star, married longtime girlfriend Leanna Lenee in a beautiful ceremony in Chattanooga on May 24. It was a moment years in the making, after a love story that began with a simple Instagram DM back in 2022. The wedding was packed with friends and loved ones, but fans were quick to notice one major absence: the Sanders family.

Despite being known as “Coach Prime’s fourth son,” Hunter’s special day came and went without Deion Sanders, Shedeur, or Shilo in attendance. Even so, Deion Sanders Jr., aka “Bucky”, took a break from his flashy lifestyle content to send Travis a sincere and public apology in one of his recent YouTube videos.

Travis Hunter gives luxurious wedding gift to his new wife

“Congratulations to Travis for getting married. He knows why we couldn’t be there,” Deion Jr. said with an emotional tone.

Busy schedules, real emotions

Texans Poised for Division Win

The Sanders family has been in the thick of football and media commitments, and while no specific reason was given for their absence, it was clear the omission wasn’t out of neglect. Coach Prime even shared a touching message on Instagram, blessing the couple and calling Hunter a “prayerful partner” sent by God.

The apology from Deion Jr. wasn’t a throwaway line, it felt heartfelt. Amidst his usual YouTube content showing off the family estate, luxury toys, and “rich people stuff,” he paused to recognize the significance of Travis’s moment and his own regret for missing it.

Bucky’s song sets the vibe

Even without a physical presence, Deion Jr. still made an impact, through music. His song “All Fall Down,” written as a tribute to his brothers Shedeur and Shilo during their football struggles, became the unofficial anthem of the wedding.

When the track hit the speakers, the energy in the room shifted. Hunter and his friends lit up the dance floor, and the song became a celebration of friendship, resilience, and loyalty.

Family runs deeper than appearances

Though the Sanders family didn’t show up in person, their bond with Travis Hunter remains strong. From birthday wishes to emotional shoutouts, it’s clear this is more than just a football connection, it’s family. And in true Sanders fashion, even from afar, they found a way to make their presence felt.

Can the Heisman Trophy 2024 winner, Travis Hunter, be the next Chuck Bednarik? People already call Hunter the ‘Ohtani of football,’ referring to MLB’s LA Dodgers hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani. Before the draft, in an interview, Hunter had a special request for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. He said that when his name is announced, they should call him both a WR and a DB. “He’d better say wide receiver and DB. I need him to say wide receiver and DB.” The last player to successfully play both offensive and defensive positions in the NFL was Chuck Bednarik. After he retired in 1962, no player ever tried that. Hunter would be the first one in 63 years to try so.

Yes, that’s right. Travis is going to attempt to play both offense and defense. The question about what position the Jaguars’ new selection would play has been on everyone’s mind. And the Jaguars brass have made their decision. In a video posted by Dov Kleiman on X, the Jaguars’ newly hired GM James Gladstone is seen having a conversation with Hunter about what position the team will let him play.

Interestingly, the Jags are letting him play on both offense and defense. “Got you, right? And I don’t mean like we’ve acquired you. I mean, we got you because we’re supporting you. You’ve got a bold-a– vision for what you want to do on planet Earth, and we’ve got a bold-a– vision for you,” says Gladstone.

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The 21-year-old then chimed in, saying, “I can tell you, bold move. I trust you, I believe you,” as the room erupted in laughter. James then continued, “You know what I mean? But we got you. So when you get out here, when you get with your teammates, continue to be nothing more than who you are, and if you just like doing that, you’re gonna elevate this space.“

So the Jaguars are going to give Hunter a chance to try his hand at both WR and DB positions in America’s biggest league. But what do fans think about it?

Fans weigh in on Travis Hunter’s two-way challenge

The Jaguars are looking confident in Travis Hunter’s skills. The Colorado star was always confident about his skills. But the netizens are not on the same page. They have their doubts about Hunter being able to successfully excel at both positions. Well, when it’s been 63 years since someone has done that, it’s natural that doubts will creep in.

On Kleiman’s posted video, netizens in the comment section reminded how it’s impossible to do both in the NFL, “Lol, he won’t be playing both by week 8. The experiment will be over. Jags wasted so much of their future on this dude,” a user wrote. Another just called out Travis for his weight, writing, “Am I tripping that this dude is way too skinny/small to tackle grown men in the NFL?” A user called out people for comparing him to Ohtani, saying, “I don’t know why they keep saying Ohtani like he will play MVP level both sides and it’s damn near impossible in the NFL.“

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via Imago Dec 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter before the game against the Bellarmine Knights at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In an interview before, when Hunter was asked about playing at both positions, he shared, “I could play all of them if they gave me the chance and the opportunity to do it… Well, we’ve kind of got 24 hours in a day. We probably sleep for about eight of those, so we’ve probably got 16 more. All of them dedicated to football.“

Despite Travis’s confidence, many people remain unconvinced, pointing out the real concerns that come with it. “Can he really play two positions in the NFL? The NFL is so much more taxing and intense… not sure how he can have the stamina to always be on the field, plus there’s the increased risk of injury,” one comment read. And there’s some truth to that. Playing both positions could exhaust Hunter and raise the chances of injuries, something that can derail a career without much warning. For now, Travis Hunter has a few good months to prepare and think it through. Once the season kicks off, we’ll see how he holds up.