The Big Lead

Deion Sanders explains why Travis Hunter deserves to play both ways in the NFL

There's only been one NFL player to start on offense and defense since 1980.

By Matt Reed

Jan 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter Jr. laughs during the second half of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jan 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter Jr. laughs during the second half of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has coached Travis Hunter for many years, so it's pretty clear to say that he's very confident in his former player's abilities as he prepares to step foot onto an NFL field next season.

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Hunter is looking to do something that no NFL player has done in decades, which is to start on offense and defense. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner could make it all the more impressive by doing so as a rookie.

“He doesn’t know any other way,” Sanders said of Hunter. “What else would he do, just sit there by the water cooler while the offense is getting their butts kicked, and you’ve got the best receiver probably on your team over there with the coach waiting for his turn to go back on the field?

"That doesn’t make sense to me. Just because a person hasn’t done this in the majority of the NFL, don’t say what another man can’t do.”

Hunter continues to draw immense interest as a prospect due to his unique abilities on both sides of the ball, and while it's unclear which team he'll end up with once he's drafted this April there are plenty of reasons to be excited about what he can do at the next level.

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