Travis Hunter seems like he knows which team he wants to draft him

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter has defied the odds to become the consensus No. 1 prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. The rare dual-position player to garner broad support in league circles, Hunter has excelled on both sides of the football for a competitive Buffs team.

Most folks were ready to write off Deion Sanders and the whole Colorado experiment after last season, but here we are. The Buffs are 9-3, slotted 23rd in the CFP rankings, and headed to a high-profile bowl matchup with Miami (that game might break scoring records ... jeez). Shedeur Sanders leads the charge at quarterback, but there hasn't been a more dynamic playmaker, in every sense of the word, than Hunter.

He has 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, which leads the Big 12. He also has four interceptions and 11 passes defended, which also leads the Big 12. Hunter is about to win the Heisman trophy on the unique strength of his two-way resume. He's almost good enough as a receiver alone to earn awards buzz, but being an elite cornerback pushes his case over the top.

We don't generally see players on both sides of the football in the NFL, but Hunter is made of the stuff necessary to break that mold. He's a quick-twitch wideout who generates separation in an instant and dominates in the red zone. On defense, he's a suction-cup cornerback, sticking to wideouts and seeing the football better than most at his position. How many cornerbacks do we criticize for easy drops? Hunter has some of the best hands in the world.

He is going very high on draft night. And now, we might know his preference.

Travis Hunter sure seems interested in teaming up with Drake Maye, Patriots

In a recent livestream, Hunter read aloud a comment about teaming up with Drake Maye and the New England Patriots. His response?

"That would be tough."

Of course Hunter — and most prospects — would be keen on joining an organization with as much history as the Patriots. That is the home of Tom Brady. If you're a wide receiver, it's the home of Randy Moss. Bill Belichick's departure obviously changes one's perception of New England, but if there's an organization built to rise from the ashes and find a way forward, it's the Pats.

New England already has its long-term building block in Drake Maye, who has been exceptional under dire circumstances. All things considered, one could honestly argue that Maye has been the most impressive rookie quarterback. He won't beat out Bo Nix or Jayden Daniels in the awards race, but Maye has elevated the NFL's worst roster, taking a nothing WR room and making New England semi-respectable on a weekly basis.

The 22-year-old is completing 67.2 percent of his passes, with 1,696 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions through nine appearances (eight starts). Maye was always the prototypical franchise QB on paper — 6-foot-4, 225 pounds with mobility outside the pocket and a cannon attached to his right arm. Maye's rapid growth as a decision-maker, combined with top-tier natural gifts, makes for lofty long-term projections.

Putting an elite wideout next to Maye is the next step for this Patriots offense. It helps that New England also needs an upgrade at the cornerback position. We almost never see prospects who can address two positional needs at once, unless we're talking about linemen who can slide over a spot. Hunter can take New England's offense to the next level and fill a gap on defense. It's a great match of prospect and team.

Luckily for Hunter, ESPN's latest mock draft has him going to Foxboro with the third overall pick. So this outcome is very much in the cards.