In December, when Deion Sanders left Jackson State to become head coach at Colorado, most knew right away that certain players would follow him to Boulder.
Mainly, son Shedeur, who’ll be the Buffaloes starting quarterback. Sanders’ other son Shilo stayed at JSU to finish his degree, which he recently received this spring. The hard-hitting safety is now fully entrenched with the Buffaloes following his transfer.
And then there’s Sanders’ prized recruit at JSU, 2022 No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter who shook up college recruiting when he chose an HBCU over 17 Division I Power Five offers.
Hunter did his best to keep some sort of intrigue when he entered the portal in December. Some even suggested that his hesitance to immediately follow Deion into the mountains meant that he wasn’t going to Colorado with Coach Prime and his close friends Shedeur and Shilo.
While it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he’d up in Boulder, other schools had to try their hand, and from what Deion is saying a weak institutions of higher learning offered the former star at suburban Atlanta’s Collins Hill High School a bag to lure him to their programs.
Sanders Says Hunter Offered $1.5M While In Portal
During Coach Prime’s interview with 247Sports, not only did the Pro Football Hall of Famer respond to comments made by Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi about how Sanders used the portal to completely overhaul his roster, he also talked about Hunter at length and how committed he is to him and the Buffaloes program.
“People offered Travis Hunter a bag. About $1.5M to try to lure him and buy him out of the transfer portal. But Travis is not that kind of guy the can be bought. He isn’t built like that. Travis is a relational young man that is built on relationships and stability. And that’s what he wanted and desired.
“That is why he decided to ride and stay with us. I cannot wait until they see what he is capable of doing in these next couple of years. Because he will be a top-five or top-three pick after his junior year. But the sky’s the limit, he is going to play both ways and he is a vital part of the offense and the defense, and he wants that.”
Hunter is an elite talent, as he proved in high school and during his freshman season at JSU.
In fact, the minute Sanders was able to land Hunter, the belief was JSU gave Hunter a huge NIL deal, which both Sanders and Hunter vehemently denied.
Hunter To Play Both Ways, But Will Play CB In NFL
Blessed with elite athleticism and elite speed, Hunter has been likened to Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, who’s the only defensive player first to win the Heisman Trophy.
Woodson also played both ways helping lead the Michigan Wolverines to their last national championship 1997.
Woodson then added a DPOY award and Super Bowl title during his NFL career, strictly as a cornerback and even some safety late in his career.
Now, TSL not saying Hunter is gonna accomplish all that, but he’s got immense ability.
But when you accumulate 3,600 yards receiving and 46 touchdowns in your high school career against elite competition, then flip to cornerback and tally 19 interceptions and five pick sixes, well, that is a whole other level.
If his health holds up, Hunter could be in for some big time seasons in Boulder over the next couple years. And there’s no price tag that will get him to leave the bins he’s built with the Sanders Family.
