Will Travis Hunter Play Wide Receiver or Cornerback in the NFL? Early 2025 NFL Draft Analysis

January 23, 2025

Will Travis Hunter play wide receiver or cornerback in the NFL? Joey Pollizze analyzes if Travis Hunter will play wide receiver or cornerback in the pros.

Travis Hunter will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the most talented prospects in the class. Hunter won the Heisman at Colorado this past season and had one of the most dominant college seasons in recent memory. 

That's because Hunter played both wide receiver and cornerback at a high level during the 2024 college season. He was unstoppable at wide receiver by emerging as a top option in that Colorado offense and also became a lockdown corner on the outside. 

So, will Hunter play wide receiver or cornerback in the NFL? Let's dive in and find out. 

Travis Hunter's WR Numbers 

Hunter was the best wide receiver in college this past season, which was evident when he won the Biletnikoff Award following his strong campaign. That award is given to the best wideout in the country every year, and wideouts like Ja'Marr Chase (2019), DeVonta Smith (2020), and Marvin Harrison Jr. (2023) have won that award in recent seasons. 

Hunter finished the year with 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. Those 96 catches and 1,258 receiving yards both ranked top five in FBS, and his 15 receiving touchdowns ranked tied for second in the country. 

this route from Travis Hunter pic.twitter.com/nRon4jUNVw

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 27, 2024

As a result, his 2024 college numbers at the wide receiver position should not be overlooked. He has the potential to be a great wideout at the NFL level. 

Travis Hunter's CB Numbers

While Hunter was putting up career numbers at wide receiver, he was also locking down opposing WR1s on the defensive end. The Colorado star totaled four interceptions, made 32 tackles, forced one fumble, and deflected 11 passes during the 2024 college season. 

That helped him win the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the best defensive player in the country. Defensive stars like Josh Hines-Allen (2018), Chase Young (2019), and Will Anderson Jr. (2022) have won this award in recent years. So, this achievement is a big one for Hunter, considering he beat out edge-rusher Abdul Carter for the award. 

After that strong season on defense, Hunter has emerged as the best cornerback in this year's draft. He has great recovery speed, and his instincts on this side of the ball are just unmatched. 

Will Travis Hunter Play Wide Receiver or Cornerback in the NFL?

It remains to be seen if Hunter will play wide receiver, cornerback, or both in the NFL. Hunter has come out and said that he wants to play both in the NFL and believes he can play both at a high level. However, it just might not be possible for the Colorado star to play 100-plus snaps every game in the pros. 

Draft experts have said that Hunter is elite on both sides of the ball, but that he is a much better cornerback than he is a wide receiver. So, NFL teams might choose to draft him as a cornerback. If that happens to be the case, though, don't be surprised if he sees some offensive snaps every week. 

My scouting report will have write-ups of Travis Hunter as both a wide receiver and cornerback but there is a current 3-1 count of NFL teams I've surveyed who have Hunter graded as a full-time cornerback who can take some snaps at WR.

— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) January 15, 2025

It'll be an interesting couple of months as we find out if Hunter will play both sides of the ball in the NFL. He certainly has a gift, and any team that selects him early in the 2025 NFL Draft could be getting a generational talent. 

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