2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Travis Hunter

Last Updated: 3/30/2025

Career Stats

Summary

Right from the start Travis Hunter has been “that” dude, coming to Jackson State as the highest-rated recruit in school history — the top athlete/corner. As a freshmen, we saw him play both ways, one of the few players to ever do this on anything like a full-time basis. As a sophomore, he followed Dieon Sanders to Colorado, where he continued to play both corner and receiver. His 721 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023 were both second on the team, and his two-way play earned him All-American honors. As a junior, he led the Big 12 with 96 receptions and 15 receiving touchdowns, while his 1,258 yards were second — an effort that helped him win the Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award.

Hunter has a slender but lengthy frame, standing 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, but he doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game. Hunter has the unique ability to play both ways, helping him understand the mental aspect of both sides. This football IQ is clear on his tape, displaying the natural ability to dissect coverages and settle into the soft spots of the defenses. Marrying this with his impressive tempo control and quickness off the line of scrimmage, he is a nightmare to cover. The only way to slow him down his with physicality at the line, and this is easier said than done. He can overcome some contact, but if you manage to get solid contact to his upper body you can alter his path.

Once into his routes we see the speed to flat-out blow by and stack defenders while stress a defense in the deep portions of the field. At the stem his quickness and twitch are second to none and often forces defenders out of position. He marries this with impressive quickness, allowing him to create steps of separation often. There is no route he can’t run, but he could use some refinement, as he leans toward freelance more. It is not all speed and deception though — he displays the ability to navigate traffic between the hashes and settle down into void space.

At the catch point Hunter is excellent, showing soft but strong hands that he uses to attack the ball at its highest point. Pairing this with his body control and flexibility allows him to catch well outside his frame when throws are off target. This is also evident in contested situations where he tracks the ball well and has the hand-eye coordination to catch the ball around defenders. We also see him come back to the ball, and he pairs this with extended hands to prevent defenders from being able to break up passes with regularity.

After the catch, Hunter has the speed and quickness to run away from defenders to generate big plays. We also see a knack for making the first defender miss, whether that is with a jump cut or his quick transition from receiver to runner. Where he lacks is stringing moves together, although he can have success here, it is not his forte. Often he gets a touch too indecisive trying to make a big play, resulting in negative plays. If you get the ball in his hands while he is moving that is where he excels after the catch.

Strengths

• Hands
• Football IQ
• Speed
• Body control

Weaknesses

• Physicality
• Always trying to make the big play
• Not the most polished routes

Honors and Awards

• Heisman Trophy (2024)
• Walter Camp Award (2024)
• National Player of the Year (2024) (Associated Press and Sporting News)
• Biletnikoff Award (2024)
• First-Team All-American (2024)
• First team All-Big 12 (2024)
• First-Team All-American (2023)

Athletic Testing

• 40-yard dash: TBD
• Vertical: TBD
• Broad Jump: TBD
• Three-cone: TBD
• Shuttle: TBD
• Bench: TBD

NFL Role Prediction

• Z wide receiver

Fantasy Outlook

Hunter is the biggest wild card in this draft. He is arguably the top wide receiver and top cornerback in the class. Hunter is a pure ball player who can do everything very well and intends to play both ways in the NFL, but the question is, will he? If he plays a significant amount of receiver snaps, he will be one of if not the most productive fantasy receiver.

Placed in an offense that will use his skills as a Z receiver and incorporate pre-snap motion will benefit him the most. This will help him get freer releases and really enhance his skill set. The uncertainty of his position is what will ultimately push him down the draft board, so if you are fine with the risk, it could pay off in a big way.

Player Comparisons

• Jerry Jeudy
• Garrett Wilson
• Terry McLaurin