Deion Sanders is gearing up for his first Spring season as a member of the Big 12 conference, with his eye on the 2025 NFL draft when his son Shedeur Sanders and protégé Travis Hunter are both projected to be first-round picks.
Hunter, a two-way player, has an opportunity to go in the first three picks if he has a strong junior season. Hunter is a rare talent who can excel on both sides of the ball in the NFL. Sanders, of course, was the same way.
At Florida State and the NFL, Prime Time’s return skills were elite, and he could have played wide receiver in the NFL as well if that opportunity had been presented to him.
At What Position Will NFL Teams Be Drafting Travis Hunter?
Which leads to an interesting question concerning Hunter’s draft position that Sanders addressed on his son Junior’s ‘Well Off Media,’ YouTube channel.
Will Hunter, who had 23 tackles, three interceptions and five pass deflections, be drafted as a lockdown corner? Will he be converted to strictly an offensive playmaker? Hunter scorched defenses with 57 receptions, 721 yards, and five touchdowns in limited duty.
He can return punts and kickoffs. He’s box office at the next level.
This is a good dilemma for the NFL, but one that will be discussed and analyzed over the next college football season.
Deion Sanders Says NFL and Travis Hunter Have A Problem
Sanders said that the NFL was about to encounter a problem next season with Travis Hunter.
“The NFL got a problem. What are you going to draft him as? He’s got to play both ways ’cause he has value on both sides of the ball. The more you can do in the NFL, that just elevates the bag,” Prime said.
Even at a slim but muscular 6 feet 1 and 181 pounds, Hunter plays big.
One of Prime’s assistant coaches chimed in: “The more you can do. In the NFL right? That just elevates the bag.” A statement that Prime said he “liked.”
Sanders cites Hunter as a rare talent who needs an open-minded and offensive-minded head coach such as Andy Reid, who would know how to safely use Hunter in a two-way capacity.
Hunter would also have to be paid handsomely because he’s executing several different jobs on the field. So the entire scenario surrounding the player who is considered college football’s top talent will develop as the season progresses.
Deion Sanders Is Asked How Much He Would Be Worth In NIL Money Today?
Contemplating Hunter’s worth at the NFL level led to Deion being asked how much he thinks he would have been worth if they had NIL back in his glory days at Florida State in the late 80s.
Coach Prime almost jumped out of his seat when he heard the question.
“What in NIL? or NFL,” Prime said, never giving a direct monetary value. “See, ’cause I’d be in college football, but living an NFL life. I think I did that anyway, honestly.”
“Because I had signed a deal after my junior season with the (New York) Yankees,” he explained, “so I was already getting a (pro baseball) bag and expecting a (NFL) bag at the conclusion of my senior year.”
Sanders says his MLB money kept him and his friends above water. “I used to break all of my teammates off, if they had a need they called Prime,” Sanders boasted pridefully.
Sanders was a two-time leading receiver and a two-time All-America cornerback at FSU. You’re not going to find many players who can execute both positions at such a level.
Those are two of the top three coveted positions in today’s NFL. What would that be worth?
“Nowadays that would be crazy, “Prime said.
Travis Hunter Is Biggest Name So Far In EA Sports College Football Release
In the meantime, Hunter continues to make all of his dreams come true.
EA Sports previously announced it would be offering 11,000 players around the country a $600 NIL bonus, along with a pre-release, free copy of the final product. There have reportedly been over 10,000 players to accept the offer as of the start of March.
Last season’s Paul Hornung Award winner, awarded to the nation’s most versatile college player, is sure to be one of the highest rated players in the game because of his rare two-way ability. Hunter earned All-Pac-12 honors as a specialist and a defensive player.
Coach Prime is still on the recruiting trail and using Hunter’s success as a recruiting pitch for any player who can play two ways. Sanders is one of the few head coaches at Power Five schools that would allow a player to have prominent roles on offense and defense.
Deion Sanders Book Tour: ‘Elevate and Dominate: 21 Ways to Win On and Off the Field’
Before the annual spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, where Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes will hopefully unveil the new uniforms, compliments of Nike, Sanders will spend March’s “dead period” on a four-city tour promoting the release of his book “Elevate and Dominate: 21 Ways to Win On and Off the Field.” Sanders has announced four stops on his book tour that includes two major cities.
In addition to the new book, Coach Prime will promote Nike’s anticipated re-release of Deion Sanders’ signature Diamond Turf line this summer.
Most recently, through his company, Prime Time Enterprises, Inc., Sanders filed a trademark for the name “Confidence” to represent a line of men’s care products, including deodorant, shaving cream, bath soaps, and fragrances that he’s launching.
