Travis Hunter makes case for winning Heisman Trophy, and he may have a point

It’s been repeated practically all season, but what Travis Hunter is doing at Colorado this season is something we haven’t seen in modern day college football. 

He’s not just average on one side of the ball, while playing both wide receiver and cornerback. He is an elite wide receiver and an elite corner for Colorado. And if you disagree, I’d stop focusing just on his stats and look at his film. 

Like he said during an appearance on Shedeur Sanders’ podcast, 2Legendary, teams game plan around him. On both sides of the ball. 

What player has the ability to dictate how it goes on both sides? He’s made game-sealing plays on defense and has been explosive on offense all season. He’s averaging upwards of 100 snaps a game when he’s healthy. 

As he said on the podcast, per an On3 story: “What else do you want me to do?”

Travis Hunter should be the Heisman front runner and there shouldn’t be much debate about it

The Heisman trophy is given, annually, to college football’s best player. Typically it goes to a quarterback, lately wide receivers have crashed the party and even a defensive player has won the award. 

Hunter has done everything he needs to prove why he should be the first to win it as an offensive and defensive player. This season, he’s Colorado’s leading receiver with 757 receiving yards. He also has a team-high eight touchdown catches. Hunter is essentially the focus of the Buffaloes offense. While LaJohntay Webster and Jimmie Horn Jr. have been solid receivers as well, Colorado doesn’t have the success they’ve had this year without Hunter. 

Defensively, you couldn’t ask him to do much more. He’s guarding the best receiver when he’s on the field and he’s making plays in the process. According to an On3 story, which quoted Hunter from his podcast appearance, he hasn’t allowed a touchdown this season. 

Yes, his numbers aren’t as crazy as Ashton Jeanty’s this season. But Jeanty is a running back so he can get his stats without relying on somebody else. 

Hunter only gets yards when the ball’s thrown his way. He can only defend passes, get interceptions and make tackles when the play goes his way. That’s why it’s so hard for non-quarterbacks and defenders to win the coveted trophy. But if there’s one thing Hunter’s done this season, it’s prove that he’s one of college football’s most exciting players this season. And he’s proven just how lethal he is as a wide receiver and cornerback. 

He doesn’t have to have top five numbers in both positions. The fact that he’s even playing both sides and excelling at it is proof enough he’s the best player in college football.